Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) has always given me a built in support group. No matter where I have moved, I have always had immediate friends and people willing to help. Church members just arrive on the day you move in to help you move your boxes and furniture and they bring you dinner to boot. You have visiting teachers and home teachers (people assigned to basically be your friend and visit you every month to see how you are doing, share a gospel message, and help you whenever you're in need), and all sorts of friends, many of which are in the same time of life and family situation as you. They take care of you, and bring you meals when you're sick or have a baby, and you get to do all those same things for them, so you feel needed and important.
This situation, although absolutely wonderful and comforting, has made me feel much less of a need to get out there and meet people who are not of my faith and make friends with the people who are all around me. But not anymore!
Today I am grateful for good neighbors. There have been many times when we did not make much of an effort to meet and get to know our neighbors, and we have moved 4 times. Whenever we didn't know our neighbors, it was awkward when we would run into them.
But that is not the case now, and I am grateful. We have wonderful neighbors! On every side. Seriously. On the other side of our duplex, next door on both sides, next door to them, the ones in the 3 houses across the street. We have been getting to know them, and I am so glad. We are trying to talk to our neighbors, and invite them to our home and to events we are going to or important things in our lives, and it has really enriched our experience living here. It makes me feel that people are generally good people, and everyone is a potential friend. Knowing our neighbors makes me want to know everyone that lives on our street!
Today, our neighbor across the street brought over a whole bin of clothes for John, including 6 pairs of warm zipper footy pajamas! (If anyone had the audacity to tell you that John mostly wears zipper footy pajamas every day except Sunday...they were right.) It was just nice to get to know her, and it made me glad to be a part of our street. So thanks to all our wonderful neighbors for being friendly and reaching out to us!
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As a tangent, today I am also thankful for a wonderful husband who eats and enjoys the food I make and uncomplainingly packs his lunch with left-overs and takes it to work day in and day out. And I am grateful for the days when I can pack his lunch for him to say thank you.
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