A Tribute to My Neighbors

I love our neighborhood - it is an older, established hood - but with it being a university town, we have the blessing of having neighbors move in and move out - or stay permanently! Honestly - God has given us some incredible neighbors - some who are Christians and some who are not -but hopefully we've been given a chance to be a "light" to them. We've been in this house almost nine years, and we've had countless neighbors who have all left a special impressions on my heart. Below are several that have come and gone or going- but will always be remembered...so here is a tribute to my wonderful neighbors.

Miss Gail is our all-time favorite neighbor who lived across the street until this past Christmas. She had lived on this street for over 12 years - so it was very upsetting when I came home one day and saw a moving trailer in her driveway, and she hadn't told us! I cried so hard - she had been the "Auntie" who my kids absolutely loved to death - she would give them treats every time they went over to her house - and she actually came over in the middle of the night one time when Bayram was having a gallbladder attack and we had to go to the hospital @ 1:00 a.m. in the morning. Well, when I finally got the nerve up to call w/o tears and ask her why there was a moving trailer in her driveway - she told me, "I didn't plan on moving, I asked my nephew to come move my piano over to my retirement house I've been remodeling for a year and he said he could load everything on up if I wanted to." Thankfully - she still has the house across the street - and we see her every few weeks when she comes over to check on the house.

Tammy & Scott lived across the street and they had one little one and expecting #2 when Bayram and I married. She quickly became a little mentor to me when I had Abigail & Michael so close together - she introduced me to the "shortcut" path to the park at the end of the street - and taught me how to let them run telephone pole to telephone pole to keep up with them when they could walk to the park on their own.

Angie & Case our driveway neighbors had their 1st born 6 weeks b/4 we had Abigail. Although they strongly disliked our black lab - there was no fault with them. In fact, before they moved - Abigail and their son had several playdates - and it was more traumatic when they moved b/c Abigail had lost her first neighborhood buddy. It was a very sad day for me - and it took me several weeks to get over their move.

Philip & Lisa quickly moved in after Angie & Case - and my hopes for good neighbors were met! Philip & Lisa were newlyweds who were both in grad school - and bless their hearts, in their very few spare moments they would take the time to play w/ Abigail and Michael and let them play woofle ball (sp?). Unfortunately they were only here a year, but we were spoiled by their friendliness and Lisa's baking specialties!!!

Sarah & Ethan have become our newest neighbors that I absolutely adore. Last summer, I had just said goodbye to my "Carmelle" - my dearest C'ville friend who I could hang out w/ anytime and just go to the park or pool w/ her daughter and my kiddos - it was like I had been hit in the gut when she moved. But God placed Sarah in my life at that time - she was another "Texan" like me - and if that's not strange, she had gone to MK school in Guatemala w/ several of my friends. O.k. - let's just say that had to be a God thing! Anyway, we hit it off instantly and spent several weekends driving around C'ville - introducing her to the pool and parks while her husband was on call and my husband was out golfing or working. Now we will prepare to say "goodbye" in person as they move next month - but if there's anything God has taught me on this street - He will continue to bring me neighbors to be blessed by and to be a blessing to.