stories

a couple weeks ago, josh and i were out on the front porch with the kids. steven and austin had run out somewhere, so it was just me, josh, and the kids. as we're playing, i see someone dragging a grill through the alley and across the street. i get the feeling it's our grill and josh goes to check. he gives me a head nod that yes, someone took our grill. i'm frozen. i have no clue what to do. i have a baby on my hip and no shoes on my feet and steven isn't home. as i stand there completely dumbfounded on what to do next, i casually mention to our neighbor, moose, "that guy just took our grill."

moose is...a character. he's a veteran and a mechanic. he's quiet and at any point in the day can be found on the porch with his dog in his lap. it's obvious moose has a story and it's obvious he's not eager to share it. though he's quick to share his dirty jokes. steven has slowly begun to build a relationship with moose through food, cigarettes, and nights on the porch.

so moose gets up, also shoeless, and begins marching after our grill. that's the best way i can describe it, as a march. he was in no hurry, just ready to take care of business. i still don't know what to do but i follow moose. i don't know why. i guess i felt some sort of responsibility since it was our grill. anyways, with croz on my hip, moose and i march across the street and down the alley. moose hollers at the man dragging our grill. the man assures us it was a mistake, he thought it was trash, he isn't a thief. he even offers to bring it back to the house.

as i thank moose and tell him i have no idea what i would have done without him, he says, "tell your husband you owe me a meal....i'm just kidding. i've got plenty of food." and i tell him it's the least i can do.

i grab a chicken sandwich from the fridge, heat it up, and bring it over and as moose objects saying "i was just joking...i don't need your food" he takes a huge bite.

and i guess that's what it means to live in our neighborhood. for every neighbor who would take advantage of a grill left out, there's another one willing to chase after it for you. and there's the neighbor who brings over a bowl of raspberries from her garden. and the other neighbor who lets us borrow a drill. another neighbor brings over freeze pops for J. and neighbors that are beginning to move from their porch to ours and share their stories.

not a day has gone by that we have not been grateful for our house, our neighborhood, and this experience.

swing life away

this is what summer nights look like around these parts...