Our Little Piece of Eden

We moved onto our street nearly nine years ago. We were excited to be in this area, especially after living in an area that was...hmmm...how can I put this?....unsavory. Unsavory might mean that there were 3 murders in the 3 blocks around our house in the 5 years we lived there, that our street was blocked off by SWAT teams more times than I can remember, once (or was it twice?) even trapping Eric & Christina at our house overnight, that I once walked into my backyard holding Josh to find a strange man looking back at me, and that our home was invaded by a gang that vandalized and burglarized us, leaving behind a gun for me to find a couple of months later. Yeah, it was unsavory.

So we eventually decided to find a new house, and moved onto our circle on July 3. The next day, on the Fourth of July, I walked to the park with my brother and the kids in the stroller and I was blown away by the people sitting on their porches, visiting with neighbors, exuding 1950's camaraderie. It just felt like I'd moved to a different planet, not just a neighborhood only three miles away.

And the love affair with my neighborhood has just bloomed. I love our school, and how so many moms hang out at the kindergarten gate and chat. I love my ward, and how we have original owners of the homes mixed with young couples just married. I love that there is a decent amount of diversity here (yes, we're still in Utah, and the majority of kids at our school are blond, but there's still more diversity than I expected.) I love how close we are to the mountains. I love how close David is to work. I love running up and down the streets and seeing so many other people doing the same thing.

But most of all, I love my neighbors. I LOVE MY NEIGHBORS! (Hey, guys! I know you're reading this. Didja catch that? YOU ARE AMAZING.)

When we had moved in, there were great people living on the street. Josh had plenty of playmates, and we had a wonderful time. We have loved so many people on this street, people who have come and gone, who we still love dearly. But it has never been better than it has been for the last few years. We are surrounded by amazing families who I trust completely, whose parenting meshes with mine, who have rescued me time and time again in so many circumstances, who have been there in horrible times and in great times. These are amazing people.

My favorite thing ever? Starting in the spring, as soon as it gets warm enough, night after night after night, we sit outside on the lawn, let the kids play until all hours, talk about everything and nothing, and just soak in the beauty of simple pleasures. Liz will make her zucchini chocolate cake. The babies will sit on blankets. John will bring out the portable fire pit and we'll make smores. David will set up the volleyball net and the kids will play badminton. The rollerblades go by, the bikes go by, the soccer ball comes out, the sidewalk chalk comes out. Summer barbecues, sleeping in tents in the backyard, Fourth of July picnics and watching fireworks on the lawn...there will never be anything like these nights.





I don't want to take this beautiful thing for granted. I know we are blessed. I think paying attention to the good things make them even more valuable. So here's my payment: Life is good. I recognize it. I honor it.