Fire at "Will"

Last night Landon and Gavin tried to muster up the courage to go over to the clubhouse with Blake to watch the neighbors set off fireworks. When Landon was over, some of the neighbors apparently mistakened him for a boy they knew named "Will". They kept saying, "Come on, Will, stay and play". A confused Landon would just run back home and tell us that they kept calling him some kid named "Will". Then fireworks would start going off. Somewhere along the way, Gavin picked up the term "Fire at Will". So, due to the name mix up, he was convinced, they were firing at the kid they thought was named "Will". We got so tickled. Everytime they would run over to the clubhouse, Gavin would run back like he was running from machine gun fire, screaming..."THEY ARE FIRING AT WILL".

Too Funny!

Friendly People Rock

The boxes are slowly being emptied, the walls still need paint, but slowly but surely, we are making a home. We are exhausted beyond belief, and I am pretty sure I have not worn makeup in 2 weeks, poor Russ, but again...we are making a home. I must say, I have never ever lived anywhere that people were so friendly! We have met 5 sets of neighbors so far, and that is 3 days after moving in. One neighbor churned us some homemade chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Another neighbor brought a homemade pound cake. They have just overwhelmed us with their kindness and friendliness.

Thank you, Lord for your mercy! If only we could bring all of our family and friends with us, it would be perfect.

He Lives in a House

If anyone knows our oldest son, Blake, you know that he is not the most social of our children. He is fine to stay in the house, play his PSP or some game, and let the world go by around him. When school starts, it takes him a month before he can tell me the all the kids names in his class and in private school there are only 15 to remember. He has one best friend and a couple of good friends, and that is fine with him.

I was very worried about us moving and all of the boys having to start finding new friends, etc. We were especially worried about Blake. He was the most devastated about leaving Florida and even yesterday he was crying and wanting to go "home". :(

Well, tonight we were supposed to go to our friends house in Summerville. That plan did not turn out how we had hoped, so after 2 hours in the car, we ended up back home. The boys were none too pleased because they really wanted to meet our friends' son Jake and have at least one "friend". However, it did not work out like we had planned. So, when we got back home, I was getting the boys bikes out of the garage, and our fifth set of neighbors stopped by to introduce themselves. They have a son Landon's age and live 2 doors down. They said their son has been hanging out near the bushes to try to meet our boys. Too cute! (He is just 7- probably would not be very cute if he was 15).

So, Landon and Gavin were riding their bikes and we put a couple of lawn chairs in the yard to watch the fireworks at the clubhouse across the street. Well, low and behold, Blake decides to walk over to the clubhouse and see if he could meet anyone. We watched him as he eased his way up the drive and stood off to the side watching all the kids running and playing and watching the fireworks. I almost cried feeling so much anxiety for him. What he had to be feeling, walking into that unknown situation knowing not one person, and just hoping to meet someone...anyone.

We tried to talk Landon and Gavin into going over there with him to back him up...thinking it may harder to ignore two or three boys over one. They were too chicken and couldn't do it.

Then, as we sat there watching, we saw Blake start running back toward the house. I was heartbroken. I thought, "My baby has put himself out there, out of his comfort zone, and he has been ignored. He is tired of standing over there feeling out of place and he is coming home". Russ replied, "That is a run of joy!". What do you know? Blake runs up to me, grabs my hands and says..."I met someone. He lives in a house. He is 10. He goes to Belle Hall. That's where I go, right?" I told him how excited I was for him and told him to go back over and hang out with him for a while. I do not think I have felt that much joy in a long, long time! Tears of happiness peaked in the corners of my eyes as I thanked God for His love and blessings. Then Russ and I laughed when we thought about what Blake had said... "He lives in a house".

Of course, after we told Landon about Blake's new friend, he was all up over in Blake's business. Turkey!