Quiet Blessing

I think God blesses us when he can with quiet little miracles that help us through the rough times when they come around. Who would have ever imagined what a blessing we would find when we bought our home.

Jeff and I both wanted to buy a home in the country but had neither the money or time to find what we wanted. Instead, we settled for a house in a small neighborhood near work and my folks. We were somewhat resistant to suburban living, but chose to settle there all the same.

If you've never experienced it, it may be hard to describe to you, but I submit to you that our little neighborhood has been my salvation and means to sanity time after time. It's an "L" shaped street with two cul-de-sacs and we live at the end. Every evening, after supper or perhaps to chase down the ice cream man, we all seem to meander out and about and have come to know and love one another. Sometimes it reminds me of living in the dorm... leaving our doors open, wandering in and out of each other's spaces and never hard pressed to find an ear or a hand.

I have to start with Baba (Holly's abbreviated version for Barbara). Barbara has been my saving grace more times than I can count. My babies love her to pieces - especially Holly. Holly's first order of business when we get home is to head over to Baba's. When I'm sick or tired or both, she's always there to help me with the little ones, the house, the pets, supper or even putting a cool rag on my neck when I've overdone it - true story, it happened yesterday! She could very well have been in the cast of Designing Women as she is a true Southern Woman.... strong, soothing, determined, funny and persistent.

Baba in the Mojitos

Lane and Jill live across the street. Add these two to the cast and things really start to get happy! I'll never forget driving home from the hospital with Jack to find our yard filled with a double-stroller, a baby gate big enough for an elephant, gifts, balloons and more! My heart was truly filled with warmth and I knew that we were home. Jill and I have walked similar roads and I take so much comfort in her - she is a special soul. Lane is the only guy I've seen Jeff be himself around so easily - maybe this is because they both share the same philosophy on the fart-n-fluff. Our kids adore them and feel just as comfy walking to their front door as they do to ours.

Lane & Jill

Our latest members are Katy and Chisholm - die hard nature buffs who know way more than I need to about anything and everything that has a nucleus. I just love to watch the way Katy's face lights up when she talks about a lizard she's seen - my bad Katy, I meant to say "anole"! They are newlyweds and it's nice to see the energy they have for each other. Katy has a natural curiosity about life that makes me smile. Since Katy and I share a passion for cooking and Jeff and Chisholm always seem willing Guinea pigs, they are great to have over on a Saturday night. I can't wait until they "take seed!"

Katy & Chisolm

There's Terry who just asked her aging mother to move in with her and her son, Carson - aka hell on wheels. There's Vance and Lisa and Lisa's insatiable need to clean and prune which means they have the best looking place on the street. There's Tippy, the neighborhood organizer and resident grandmother with the Easter egg trees, inflatable Santa and screaming ghosts that drop out of the trees right on cue each holiday. There's the crabby old farts that wear sweatpants year round and fuss at the kids when they run across the grass. There's Ron - single and shirtless. They are everywhere and they are each wonderful. They are family.

Aside from the fabulous cast of characters I get to have in my life, we are all extremely active with neighborhood events. We have a Easter Egg Hunt, yard sales, a Halloween Festival, a Christmas party - complete with Santa, and this year, our first annual Red, White & Blue Party for the 4th.

Holly & Katy

I miss my old friends from my younger, less married, less mothered days and wonder if we'll ever be as close as we once were. Jobs and families leave little time for much else - maybe that's why it's been so easy for me to find comfort in my own front yard.

I know we won't live here forever - we're busting out of the seams now - but I'll always hold a special place in my heart for the quiet little blessing we found here in our own front yard.