ode to my road

for the past three years, we have lived in a tiny apartment at the end of a cul-de-sac filled with seminary students. three years ago our family seemed completely different. it was complete different. we moved with this:

and now we have this:

we are an entirely different family now. before we moved matt was around a lot. we three would spend our days at the park or our favorite coffee shop, Bongo. Mags was an easy easy toddler. Abe was 8 weeks old (same age as Franks is now!) when we moved. the first semester being a stay at home mom was still quite novel. we LOVED having days when matt would leave at 8 and be home around 3 or 4 and we'd play in the afternoon outside with friends. cooking dinner every night was still novel too. seminary budget but a kabosh on eating out.
the week we moved in, my next door neighbor told me this apartment complex was the Christian Melrose....its been a dream really.
friendships for all of us are easy. not that the friendships themselves are without hardships or conflict but TO BE IN relationship is quite easy. just take my last week for instance: there was a birthday party for a dear friend-it was rainy and cold and i would have hated getting out and driving in that weather but i just walked 100 yards and was there. last night a friend was sick and her husband was working- i walked 100 yards and was able to help her out. friends have walked over and gotten our children while we had the newborn or helped when i've been sick. taking steaming hot meals at dinner time to friends who just had babies or are having a hard time-its easy.
when i get my stroller out for a walk-there is bound to be others wanting to walk with me. when my kids want to run around with other kids-there is bound to be others. when i want to pull out my sewing machine and craft it up with some gals-there is bound to be others. when i want to sit on the deck with some wine-plenty of people to do it with.
i love it. but i realize its not reality. (unless of course, we live on a commune...which i wouldnt mind at this point).
but the lesson i have learned these past three years is that sharing life together with friends is wonderful and no matter how easy or how hard, its worth it. to make friends with the unlikely, is wonderful. to share in burdens is wonderful.
i admit-i will miss the ease. i know i will wake up one day soon and say, 'how do i parent 3 kids without a ton of kids around?' i know my kids will wake up and wonder, 'why arent there a ton of kids outside my door ready to play?'
i'll miss it. i'll miss the friendships that have sprung up just because of proximity. dear friendships.
i'll miss not having to get in a car when i want to hang with some girls. i know mojo will miss watching basketball a few nights a week with guys. i'll miss seeing these people-day in. day out. good days, bad days. oh, my little cul-de-sac you've been good to us.