Being "neighborly"

Ponder what your ideal neighbors might be like. Ponder their graciousness and ease of conversation while you idle outside on summer evenings. Can you imagine what your ideal neighbors might be like?

My ponderings aren't left to my imagination; they are thoughts of real people who make our lives so much more pleasant. Our neighbors are an eclectic bunch of nifty people.

Katie, older lady who is mother to five children, grandmother to lots, great-grandmother to one. She is active, generous, and adds great perspective to my life when I think I'm going to lose my mind with these offspring of mine.

Donny and Angela, married couple with two kiddos who are basically grown and on their own. Angela is always on the go, and Donny fills the neighborhood with the delicious aroma of smoking meat when they are hosting a "get-together".

Matt, Kate, and Zach (and baby on the way). They've been known to meander our way for a little chit-chatting on occasion. Zach makes a delightful playmate for the boys, and is always ready for action.

Last, and certainly NOT least: Ruth, Keith, Tyler and Drew. Keith's job situation has been a little bit less predictable for the past year so he has been gone different hours and home during the days a bit. Ruth teaches so she's been home in the summer. I am to be in state of mourning about their diminished availability when Ruth goes back to school and Keith is working a regular schedule, again. They are patient with our boys, offer to watch the boys so I can run to the store without my little helpers, and allow very frequent front porch visits by our children.

As my stories convey, our neighbors are some of the most "neighborly" around. I often wish for a yard with no weeds, a kitchen with a little more room, and a third bedroom that is bigger than a large box. However, I wouldn't trade our neighbors for even all three of those things.