Community...Part I

April 22 in Portland... It's cloudy and raining, and pretty cold out. I suppose not too unusual for the northwest. Though I miss the sun, I love just about everything else here.

For starters, I love our neighborhood. As a mom I had really missed a closer knit community. So much so that when Sammy J was in his first year my heart would ache. I missed a community that hangs out daily, helps with kids, chores and cooking. A friendly group who shares in life's ups and downs, and supports each other. Also, having to drive to this kind of community is not the same. Then, when Sammy J was a year, we moved to Portland. Now I am so thankful and blessed that I don't have to drive to find this type of community. These friends and kids are all within a two block radius.

Just this morning, Sammy J and I walked over to one of our friends. He played with the 4 year old and I hung out with my friend and her baby (also the mom of the 4 year old:). Then I went back home for an hour while Sammy J stayed and played with them. When I came back we hung out again!

I do the same for her every week. Every week I also do this with another mom who lives just a block down.

Many times at night or during the weekend, JB will come along and all the families will hang out, Dads, Moms and kids. It truly is a blast! And we are all helping to fulfill each others need for closer community.

We see the family across the street often and climb in their front yard garden path. The boys, ages 7 and 3, including Sammy J, play hide and seek and make chalk art on the sidewalk together while I and/or JB chat it up with the parents.

We all have ice cream socials together and dinners and even a once a year block party.

3 other women on the block, in the past 6 months or so, have had babies. The latest was this last Thursday in the wee hours of the morning. Another boy! Welcome little Theo!

Outside, and at the park just 2 blocks away, I see these other moms and kids often. They each have newer babies and toddlers or preschoolers. We enjoy each others company and I can easily see us hanging out more often. I plan to initiate that this Spring and Summer.

Icing on the cake is that I and some of these moms have Girl Time when Dad hangs with the kids and us girls get together to just be....talk, knit, sew, share.

Though I do miss the sun, this neighborhood has become my sun. It's warmth fills my heart with joy and peace.

I am so thankful for it~