Traditional Halloween Party: Daddies take the kids around the neighborhood while Mommies get the crock pots ready for our pot-luck soup dinner. (Translation: we sit around and talk and drink wine and nosh.)
Summer Movie Nights: BBQ pot-luck followed by family-friendly movies projected up on one neighbor's garage door. Complete with lawn-chairs, popcorn and great company.
Christmas Brunch: A smorgasbord of homemade dishes, good company and the kids playing happily.
Tamalera: Getting together to make dozens of tamale (with Grandma and her authentic family recipe) and then joining together for dinner to sample our delicious little bundles. And don't forget the Mexican hot chocolate! Muy bueno.
New Year's Eve Shindig: Ringing in the New Year with friends, scrumptious hors d'oeuvres and lots of music.
Birthday Parties: Celebrating our kids with our friends and their kids ... it doesn't get much better than that.
Back-to-School Ice Cream Socials: Kicking off the school year with a "bring your own toppings" ice cream party. Sugar them up really good before sending them off to bed for their first school night of the year!
What do all these wonderful family experiences have in common? Daniel and Edie ... and Ashleigh, too. The crazy Texans who joined our cul-de-sac a few years ago and became part of the family. Amazingly enough, most of the events above can be traced back to this wonderful couple. They have repeatedly opened their homes up to us all ... and fed us well. But they don't stop there.
They also have loved on our kids like they are their very own. Many a date for Brett and I has been made possible because of their love and generosity ... and always with the encouragement to "not hurry back ... enjoy!" They are actually enthusiastically awaiting the kids when we drop them off ... walking alllll the way across the driveway. They have the evening planned: dinner, movie, crafts and bed-time. And when we do return from some much needed "just the two of us" time, they are smiling and asking when we plan to need them again! And just so you know that I'm not pulling your leg ... here is what was waiting for us when we came back from our most recent date:
Who does this with kids they are babysitting?!? I don't even do this with them ... and they are my kids! :)
So, yes indeed, we have the most wonderful neighbors. There is just one problem.
They are moving. (breathe deeply ... no sniffling ... keep it together ...)
Work is calling to them to move across the state and try as we might to come up with a way to keep them here, we are having to say goodbye. Next week. (keep it together, keep it together, keep it together ...)
While I know that we will see them (they are avid birthday partiers ... so we are almost guaranteed to see them four times a year) ... it won't be the same as having them across the street.
I'll miss meeting up mid-cul-de-sac for a quick catch up.
I'll miss planning the next get-together.
I'll miss sitting with a plate of munchies and a glass of wine ... laughing about something.
I'll miss having my go-to-babysitters.
I'll miss our friends.
Thanks for loving us ... and letting us love you!
God bless you ... we know He will!
(sniffling ... smiling ... sniffling ...)
___________________________________
Weekly Writing Prompt #3
I think you are going to have a mass exodus to your neighborhood! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat fun you all have! I love my neighborhood also...may have to borrow a few of your ideas that we haven't tried yet!
Stopping by from Mama Kat's
oh no! i know it's so hard when people move out. and you're so lucky you had wonderful neighbors like that. hopefully you'll get another set of sweethearts!
ReplyDeletehttp://spinning-threads.blogspot.com
Thanks for visiting my blog! It sounds like you do have wonderful neighbors! How sad that they are leaving, hopefully you'll get some great neighbors in retun.
ReplyDeleteThat's so sad, and I totally sympathize. We had a neighbor who'd shovel/snowblow our walk sometimes, was always ready for a chat, had the most adorable son, and even let us use his pool in the summertime. When he moved, a new neighbor moved in - and since it was winter, we literally haven't even seen them!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet thing to make! And I'm with you, I don't even do stuff like that with my own kids! =P
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog! =)
Tina
I love all of those neighborly ideas! I will have to take note of some of those. I'm sorry you are losing your sweet neighbors. :( (BTW, I found your blog on SITS. So glad I did!)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have some really great friends in your neighbours. What awesome ambassadors. I'm sad for you that they are leaving. I hope you can carry on their work in the neighbourhood traditions!
ReplyDelete