Sunday, October 28, 2007

Stalking the Neighbors


Transitions are hard, no question about it. For us it has been new schools, new jobs, new church, new friends, new neighbors.. Both children took to almost everything immediately with the exception of new neighbors. I guess it doesn't help here that all neighbors stay indoors or at the pool all summer long (here in Austin people come outside in the fall when the weather reaches sane). Also our neighbor to the West of us disappeared for three months this Summer and the neighbor to the East of us is more of a recluse (he recently moved out - we have our fingers crossed). My children, accustomed to having bedtime stories read to them by the neighbors between their bedroom window and the neighbor's kitchen window, are suffering from withdrawal.


Then the heavens opened up and just up the street appeared the NEW NEIGHBORS! Hallelujah! We are saved! This family is the epitome of Texas (these are the folks whose dishes I bought). The parents were both raised in the country and their three year old has a love affair with his cowboy boots. This family loves to be outdoors and we frequently meet up with them outside and let the children play. Brian is already planning his first hunting trip with his new found friend.


Our desperation for new friends suddenly became acutely apparent when we discovered Jacob staring out the window waiting for the neighbors to surface. At first sight of the 3 year old, boot wearing, bike riding boy Jacob exclaims, "Can I go out and PLAY?!?" I am eager to say, yes, but I also wonder if we are the weird neighbors that come by and over-stay their welcome - you know the ones...


Hopefully they are just as relieved to have us for neighbors. We have been blessed over the years with amazing people living close to us: Sarah and Tim, Sal and Patty, Doug and Toni, Olivia and Darell just to name some of our favorites. We have had great examples to learn from. It is our hope that we can be just as good neighbors to our Texas friends as ours have been to us and that we form those friendships that have so endeared our past neighbors to us. I have already rescued New Neighbor Mom from an embarrassing swimming pool blooper this summer where she put her 3-year-old's inner tube on and couldn't get it off (she's pregnant). That must count for something. In the meantime, I think we should probably find Jacob a better pastime than stalking the neighbors.

2 comments:

Creative Mama said...

SARAH! First of all ... we miss you... and your kiddos... for many reasons... one of them being missing your childrens smiley faces... I pray for lovely neighbors that are eager to make new friends...

Sarah M said...

S- we miss you guys, too. We like these new neighbors. We haven't moved to grilled cheese every other night with them, nor have they come over to do my dishes. But we did help them clean up after their yard sale. Progress, but nobody can beat the schedidlers.