Corona Virus Day #83: Good Neighbors: June 10, 2020

When Bryan and I moved here 5 years ago we weren’t sure what to expect in the way of neighbors. Everyone out here is on about 10 acres of land, so we aren’t super close together but close enough that we have to interact regularly.

I can honestly say we hit the jackpot. When we lost Fletcher a few days ago and were in a state of total panic two of our neighbors (both husband and wife) were running our land and going into the trees braving snakes and ticks to help us find our boy. Charlene prayed with me briefly when I was having a really rough moment and I can remember her saying “Jesus, just keep him safe until we can find him.” She doesn’t know this but it’s exactly what I needed to hear in that moment. That someone, other than me and Bryan was praying to the LORD to keep our baby safe.

Scott and Shelley, our neighbors directly next to us are very special to us and our kids. Of all of our neighbors we interact with them the most. They have many animals which makes our kids so very happy. They have two goats, a pig, a pony, a very large dog (it’s actually bigger than me), cats and a bunny. The kids love to go over there and visit with Scott and Shelley and the animals. Fletcher convinced himself one day that the pig was actually his aunt.

When Scott had a birthday in May all the kids made him presents and we hand delivered them. Fiona made him a hand crafted gift she worked on for hours and when we were leaving Fletcher shouted “I love you Scott.”

These two have a special bond and it kills me. Tonight at dinner with our neighbors Fletcher kept bringing Scott treasures of his. Rocks, Christmas coasters and art projects he held on to from school. Scott even took one home…a picture of Fletcher in a flower attached to a popsicle stick. Fletcher was so excited!

It’s like the kids have an extra set of grandparents or a really cool great aunt and uncle. They have watched our kids grow up and just a few days ago they shared in our incredible fear and our immense joy when we located our boy. They tolerate our kids and now our puppy coming over to their house on the regular and they are always so kind and patient with them.

Tonight we had these two families over for dinner to thank them for dropping what they were doing to help us find Fletchy. Fletcher made them both apology notes and had to tell them to their faces he was sorry for what he had done. It is so important to us that our kids take responsibility for what they do wrong. I was very proud of our sweet boy tonight because he owned it like a boss. He even looked them right in the eye when he apologized.

We are so incredibly grateful to live by people with shared values and good hearts. I know they genuinely care for our family and because their kids are grown and now adults they know the road we are traveling right now and they understand and sympathize with it.

I am so grateful.

So if you are a neighbor to anyone, I urge you to be the kind of neighbor we hope we are and I know Scott, Shelley, Darren and Charlene are to us.

It warms my heart to know that if we are in a bind we have two couples we can count on close by to help us.