Sunday, September 9, 2012

Neighbor

Day 8- 3dp5dt
Goal- to have our neighbor over for dinner
Met?- yes
Mood- good... but irritable
Symptoms- tired, cramps, random hot flashes, somewhat irritable
POAS?- no
Want to?- kind of
Report- I know, I know, I didn't post yesterday... But I'll do two today to make up for it.
I actually had a pretty full day yesterday. It was really nice and it took my mind off testing (which is getting more difficult to deny). My mom and I had made plans to get up early and go the the little farmers market by us to get some good, fresh food for dinner that night. The market is only open on Saturdays from 8-12 so we wanted to get there before 9.
I get my non-morning person ways from my mom, so I wasn't really surprised when she called me at 9:30, just as I was waking up, to tell me she had just gotten up as well. Needless to say, we got there at 11 and there wasn't much left. We did manage to get some nice squashes, some farm-fresh eggs, and some fresh bread, but I wish we had gotten there earlier. We went to HEB for the other things we needed and headed to my mom's house to marinate the steaks, watch a chick flick, and start the prep for dinner. Why not go to my house, you ask? Because it was Saturday... which means college football... which means Notre Dame... which means Patrick is a raving lunatic who cannot be reasoned with, shouldn't be disturbed, and will not do anything besides watch football. So to my mom's house we went.
Now, about my goal for today. Before Patrick and I moved into our current house it was vacant for a few months. The lady next door, Barbara, was keeping an eye on it and I met her the first time our realtor showed me the house because the realtor was having some trouble with the Supra box and Barbara came over to let us in. I liked her immediately.
After we put the offer in on the house, she let us in to show our parents because both our realtor and the listing agent were on vacation. She was really excited that we were buying the house and asked if we had children. I told her not yet, but hopefully soon, and she promptly informed me that she would be adopting them as grandkids and would be spoiling them since she isn't ever going to have grandkids of her own to spoil.
No questions. No advise. No sympathetic looks, or "look at it this way" statements. She was just excited for us... Complete strangers. Excited and hopeful. I liked her even more.
When we moved in to the house, the first morning there we woke up and found a card from her on the back door welcoming us to the neighborhood, telling us to call if we need anything, and offering to cook us dinner one night! How sweet is that?!
We found out from our other neighbors a few days later that Barbara's son died in a car accident two years ago. They told us she also has a daughter but that she doesn't see too often. They told us that Barbara takes care of everyone on the street, she's always there when you need her, and that she has really been struggling since her son died. (We also learned that Patrick and I have apparently been the gossip of the block and, since we are the youngest couple on the block by nearly 30 years, everyone is excited for us to start a family so there can be kids on the street again!)
So when Barb made us King's Ranch chicken, amazing red velvet cheesecake, and brought us a bottle of Cul-de-Sac wine (because we're part of the Cul-de-sac now!) I promised myself that I would do something nice for her and that we would include her whenever we could.
Yesterday we invited her to come have dinner with us and my parents and grandma (we invited Patrick's parents but they couldn't make it). We all had a really good time eating, drinking wine (I had sweet tea), and chatting. I'm super glad I had the chance to include her and I'm so thankful for all the wonderful people we have in our lives. I'll happily make Barb an honorary grandma!
I'm excited about how many people are excited about our baby! Our little baby/babies are going to have so many people who care about, spoil, and treasure them.

Thank You, God, for the amazing people You have placed in our life. Bless them all and be with them. 

2 comments:

  1. WOW! I can't wait until my husband and I can move into a neighborhood like that...I wish we could do it sooner rather than later, but with the market like it is, we can't get out of our townhouse...

    Good for you for keeping busy and keeping to your goals....It has to help a little with the 2WW....

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    1. Thanks! I'm actually really glad I did this because it's helped A LOT!
      We're really thankful to have found this house and this neighborhood. People just aren't like that any more, you know? We lived in our last house for 4 years and only met two of our neighbors! Everybody is so private and unconcerned these days... At least we have our connections here and on the forums for support and friendship!

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