Like a Good Neighbor...

We've been married 12 years and we just moved into our fourth house...and hopefully our last house.

 Let me tell you, moving ain't fun my friends.  

However, we have gotten really lucky in the neighbor department each time. 

      This week, PT had football camp and a neighbor and I carpooled, which was a lifesaver. 

 Today, I picked up her son and his hair was wet. I asked him why and he told me he had just taken a shower. PT asked why he showered right before football and he smiled and said, "My mom made me because I face-planted into a spoonful of peanut butter." He was quick to add that the spoon poked him in the eye, which "really hurt." I saw his mom and she validated his story. She said that he had peanut butter smeared in a line down his face and shirt. Being a good friend, she acted quickly and rushed him off to the shower before he came in contact with my son who has severe allergies to peanuts and tree nuts. 

Way to go Liz! This got me thinking about our other great neighbors. 

 Here's just a few examples that came to mind... 

 ...at our first house, our neighbors let us borrow their kitchen table when we hosted our 1st Thanksgiving as newlyweds. The hubs and I carried that thing all the way across the street to our house. I still wonder why we didn't just get a card table. But don't worry, I returned the favor when they asked for my help to pull a wad of paper towels out of their dog's butt! So gross, wasn't it Stephanie?

 ...at our house in Lexington, my sanity was preserved by my neighbors when I had two little ones under the age of 2, was missing our friends and family back home, and my husband was working endless hours. I would join them outside EVERY evening just to have adult conversation while our kids played. Although we only stayed in Lexington for a year, we are still great friends and we'd do anything for each other. 

 Right, Dana?? 

 ...at our last house, our kids had great friends on the street. I can't tell you how many times I needed an egg (usually late at night for baking for the next day), extra hands at the bus stop, or help to get a kid on or off of the bus. Thanks Kim! And I can't forget the neighbor that brought a pair of gym shoes to the bus stop for Leah (with about 4 minutes advance notice) when she left her gym shoes in a friend's car. Oh, and Allison came through on the day we closed on our new house when Leah called from school saying that there was no cafeteria service due to field day. As we went into our closing, I called Allison and she rushed some food up to her, just in time. Thanks again, Al.

...and at our new house, we tried to unpack the first few boxes and set up beds with all 5 kids underfoot. Sounds easy, right? Our new neighbors brought us the largest spaghetti bake I have EVER seen, desserts (peanut free), salad, garlic bread, a houseplant, and a card with all of their names and phone numbers. Soon after that came a knock on the door. Leslie and Karen offered to watch ALL of our kids play with their slip-n-slide while we got unpacked. Oh and they added that they would put sunscreen on all of them and if we didn't know where their suits were, they'd find one for them to borrow. FYI, I think a happy little tear streamed down my face at that moment.  The kids were thrilled and we have felt so welcome, ever since. I've also enjoyed dinner with some women from the neighborhood and our kids are having a good time playing with new friends. Oh and I couldn't forget about Karen saving the day when I couldn't find our gardening gloves and happened to be using my oven mitts to pull weeds. Can't beat that kind of help. 

I feel really lucky to have good neighbors that become good friends.

And don't be jealous my non-neighbor friends, I love each of you to pieces too.

Thanks for all of the help and fun to all of our friends.

Do you all like your neighbors?