Neighbor Friends

  When I moved into the house I am living in now I thought I would not be living in it for long (maybe two years). I had this dream of moving to land where our family could have animals. As per usual we have no idea what the future holds and I have lived in this house for five years or something close to it. When we moved here there were not any children living on the street. The location was amazing. A short drive into town and a short walk to beauty. The view across the road is breathtaking. The house felt like if I had to live in this specific type of house it was built for me by loving hands. I was so grateful. Chickens clucked from the yard next door, there were horses I could hear in the distance. There was so much good about it all but the children would have loved some friends....

  Then one day we heard that some children might be moving in next door. We hoped it would happen and it did. Today my daughter was showing me a little book one of the girls next door had made for her. The children next door homeschool as well. Their parents hold similar parenting values and the children are creative, kind, and fun. These friends next door make my children's lives very special. They add so much joy. They are younger than some of my children and I sometimes forget how precious it is that my older children love them and play with them daily. This is what friends can do. True friends. 

 In a world where all seems to be imploding, moments of thankfulness, clarity, and peace mean more than they ever did. Today looking at the little book about butterflies made by the five year old girl next door filled me with so much thankfulness. If you believe in God it is important to realize that all the details are known and all the details matter. From the tiny Violets in my front garden planted one day by one of my daughters without my knowing, to the two chickens walking around my yard, to the puppy peeing on my carpet, to the drinking glasses from the thrift store, all these little details, these gifts that remind me daily...the world matters. All of it, everyone, to me, to God, and should matter to us all. Every single soul is precious. 

Our true kindness, our giving hearts, our making butterfly books? It matters! It is impacting. Countries like Ukraine and Canada, people like truckers and prime ministers, they matter. 

I am holding this all in my heart today. 

xo