meet mary.
sometimes we meet our friends in the strangest ways. we had just purchased our first house. K was only 4 weeks old and E was 2. i was tired.
i arrived at our new home, keys in hand, ready to walk in the door for the first time as owner. we weren’t moving anything yet. i just wanted to swing by and peek.
i got out of the car, still in maternity clothes i am sure, to a rather strange sight. an extension cord ran out of our tiny basement window, across our driveway, and into our next-door neighbor’s garage. of course, i didn’t know the next door neighbor. or any neighbors. but i had to figure it out. i went next door and i knocked. and i knocked. and i knocked.
from across the street i heard, “can i help you?” i stammered through an introduction, thinking this was not exactly how i pictured meeting our new neighbors. i thought i would maybe at least have regular clothes on and my hair washed. like it or not, this is how i met mary.
in talking to her, i determined that in fact, i had the nicest new neighbors in the whole wide world. not even knowing us yet, but worried that our sump pump might not work with the power turned off in the storms, they ran a cord all the way to the nearest neighbor’s house and plugged us in. and they didn’t even know us.
pulling away, i hoped maybe mary would become my friend.
after we moved in, my overly friendly 2-year-old asked me every day if he could knock on mary’s door to see if her kids could play. i was hesitant. show up on her doorstep unannounced? but there i was, wearing K in the bijorn and holding E’s hand, day after day, knocking on mary’s door to see if she {i mean her kids} could play.
and that was the start of our friendship.
mary and i bonded over mom stuff, church stuff, thursday night tv, watching each other’s kiddos, walks around the neighborhood, lots of time in the backyard and driveway, and wine on the front porch. i cannot say enough about the type of neighbor she was, not to mention friend and faith-filled mama of three.
there wasn’t a dry eye on the block when mary and her family moved to the east coast this past summer. we feel her absence everyday. before she left, she gave me a jewelry tray that reads, “our hearts are very old friends.” that’s the thing about mary. i haven’t known her long, and she lives far away now, but i am positive our friendship, laughs, and crazy conversations will continue.
mary is kind, friendly {see #4 below}, fun, encouraging, optimistic, faithful, talkative, selfless, generous, and every other good word out there and she’s sharing her LITTLE things today for
ntlt friday friends
welcome mary! thank you for noticing and sharing.
here is mary’s list for 10.7.16
1. flying home to celebrate my brother ed and his beautiful wife ronza.
2. waking up to the smell of cinnamon rolls and coffee made by my thoughtful kiddos.
3. norwex cleaning cloths, they clean EVERYTHING.
4. shopping at target and striking up a conversation with a sweet girl. we ended up picking out clothes for her new job.
5. shoe shopping and lunch outside on a beautiful fall day with a new friend.
6. driving across a bridge and looking at all the boats parked neatly in their slips.
7. walking on the boardwalk with my family.
8. preschool fingerprint crafts, i will never tire of these.
9. the way a vacation bible school cat chat cd can make everyone in the car instantly happy. cat chat, i love you.
10. my cousin calling to say she’s flying to see me for thanksgiving! cousins are the best!
thanks mary!
p.s. – mary comments almost daily on LITTLE things posts with a list of her own LITTLE things. you can too!
inspired to write a LITTLE list of your own? you can also share for friday friends! whether you’re a new follower or old friend, subscribe to the blog below and email noticethelittlethings@gmail.com or comment below to let me know you’re interested. can’t wait to share your list!
happy noticing!
Love love love!!!