It Just Takes Time

Yesterday Anders came home from school and said we had to be at Todd Park at 4:00 because some of his friends were going to be there.  He grabbed his baseball bat, glove, ball and off we went.  And sure enough, ten of his classmates were there.  Some had walked over.  Some had their parents drive them.  Some had their Aunt bake cookies before they biked over.  

I knew that Aunt.  She was the one that drove my new to me car here from Green Bay.  I knew the parents.  One I had carpooled with to a school field trip.  The other had lent me her car on the first day of school and we were friends now.  Her dad had just passed last week and we hugged when I asked about him.

The night before Chase and I were sitting outside on our front porch and a family rode by on their bikes.  They yelled, “Hi Chase!”  I had no idea who they were - but Chase sure did.

Adventure loves the kids at the bus stop.  Extra excited to see two sweet girls in particular who are just as extra excited to see him every morning too.   Then as we continue on our morning walk, we bump into our usuals: the Doodle Gibson, the Lab puppy Chilly, the Doodle Luna, the other Doodle Fonzy.  There are a lot of Doodles in this neighborhood. 

I asked the daughter of the neighbor next door to take out our trash last weekend when we were out of town.  The family across the street texted us to see where we were, cause they noticed.  

I had lunch with the orthodontist around the corner that had 30+ women over her house for a wine tasting.  She was traveling to Tokyo to see her brother and I offered up a wealth of tips and tricks.  My kids make fun of me, because every time we walk by her house, I mention it. 

The guy five houses down got laid off a few months ago.  The women around the corner works with a good friend of mine and built her dream home here a handful of years ago.  And Jim to my left, well he’s the kind of grandfather you can only hope for.  

We carpool now.  Anders swims three nights a week for his school and there is actually a real reason I have a car with 3 rows and not a convertible.  To pick up the friend four houses up and the other one, one street over all with Chase in tow.

Last night we went to see Matilda The Musical at the middle school because all the yard signs told us too, as we are part of this community now. I sat next to a grandmother, so excited to pat my leg when her granddaughter took the stage. I thought to myself: “I’m starting to really like it here” - as we all rose for a standing ovation.

And at midnight, as I laid down next to Steve, with our windows open, I looked at the view across the street that I have been looking at for almost 4 months now and thought to myself - SHIT, we are making this our home.  What at first felt like a strange place where we didn’t belong was starting to feel like OUR neighborhood.

Home isn’t something to find.  Home is something to create.  And with time we are starting to create it.

So we need to get the hell out of here FAST.  Less than 1 week til we close on the Butterfly House.  I’m going to let the boys finish out the school year here and then come June 1st, off we go.  To start over.  Yet again.  Twenty minutes, but also a world away. But at least I now know that we can create it. But it’s gonna take time.  It just takes time.