[July 17, 2008]
Being in this new neighborhood has really changed my world, and the lives of my kids. Essex, just like Barnes, is a very quite street. Here on Essex, we just happen to be sandwiched between two families with kids my kids' age. On one side of us we have a family from Europe. They are very quite and private and only let their kids play sometimes. Their kids are very highly intelligent. Amy home schools them. I rarely see people visit them, they are a very tight knit family and they pretty well keep to themselves. They are friendly though and when we see them out and about, they are always chatty and sweet. Then we have our other neighbors. Ramona and Mike are the sweetest grandparents ever. They have 4 children. Their daughter, who is the exact same age as me, has 4 kids of her own. She and her 4 kids live with Ramona and Mike. Mike works in Texas, so Ramona basically holds down the fort. MaryBeth, her daughter, had brain surgery a year ago and is still recovering from that. She is ok, and she is doing ok, but she has suffered damage as a result. She has good days and bad days. Ramona also cares for her younger brother who has significant diminished capacities. He is 40 years old but has the mind of a 5 year old, and he is just as sweet as the day is long. But he's dying of cancer. Ramona will be lucky to have him by Christmas, and with the way things have turned in the last two days, the end of the summer. Today Ramona broke down in front of me, which is the first I have witnessed from her. Even though MaryBeth and I are the same age, I am extremely close to Ramona. If all the kids aren't at her house, they are over at mine. Tonight she took the kids to the skatepark, and her grandson Dakota has stayed overnight here the past 3 nights in a row. Lauren stays overnight with Levi all the time. These kids are so wrapped up in each others lives, I feel like I have 6 kids. I always comment to Brannon that I wonder how God knew that I needed him in my life. After living here the last few months, I don't think for one moment that it's a coincident that we live in the house. My kids need her grandkids, and the reverse. Ramona and I need each other too I believe. She gets rest when the kids come over here and crash. She can get laundry done and can care for her brother. She has helped me out whenever I need a babysitter (which is all the time it seems.) Tonight Brannon and I were able to go to a VERY LAST MINUTE dinner date with a friend who is moving out of state. Just like that, I run next door and ask if the kids can hang for the next 2 hours. Sure, send them on over. Ramona and I have gotten so comfortable with each other, we just send the kids back and forth as messengers. We just have an open door policy. It is SO GREAT!! God really does work things out for us and blesses us in ways we would never even thought of.
Being in this new neighborhood has really changed my world, and the lives of my kids. Essex, just like Barnes, is a very quite street. Here on Essex, we just happen to be sandwiched between two families with kids my kids' age. On one side of us we have a family from Europe. They are very quite and private and only let their kids play sometimes. Their kids are very highly intelligent. Amy home schools them. I rarely see people visit them, they are a very tight knit family and they pretty well keep to themselves. They are friendly though and when we see them out and about, they are always chatty and sweet. Then we have our other neighbors. Ramona and Mike are the sweetest grandparents ever. They have 4 children. Their daughter, who is the exact same age as me, has 4 kids of her own. She and her 4 kids live with Ramona and Mike. Mike works in Texas, so Ramona basically holds down the fort. MaryBeth, her daughter, had brain surgery a year ago and is still recovering from that. She is ok, and she is doing ok, but she has suffered damage as a result. She has good days and bad days. Ramona also cares for her younger brother who has significant diminished capacities. He is 40 years old but has the mind of a 5 year old, and he is just as sweet as the day is long. But he's dying of cancer. Ramona will be lucky to have him by Christmas, and with the way things have turned in the last two days, the end of the summer. Today Ramona broke down in front of me, which is the first I have witnessed from her. Even though MaryBeth and I are the same age, I am extremely close to Ramona. If all the kids aren't at her house, they are over at mine. Tonight she took the kids to the skatepark, and her grandson Dakota has stayed overnight here the past 3 nights in a row. Lauren stays overnight with Levi all the time. These kids are so wrapped up in each others lives, I feel like I have 6 kids. I always comment to Brannon that I wonder how God knew that I needed him in my life. After living here the last few months, I don't think for one moment that it's a coincident that we live in the house. My kids need her grandkids, and the reverse. Ramona and I need each other too I believe. She gets rest when the kids come over here and crash. She can get laundry done and can care for her brother. She has helped me out whenever I need a babysitter (which is all the time it seems.) Tonight Brannon and I were able to go to a VERY LAST MINUTE dinner date with a friend who is moving out of state. Just like that, I run next door and ask if the kids can hang for the next 2 hours. Sure, send them on over. Ramona and I have gotten so comfortable with each other, we just send the kids back and forth as messengers. We just have an open door policy. It is SO GREAT!! God really does work things out for us and blesses us in ways we would never even thought of.