Thursday, September 30, 2010

B is for Be careful....and best friends!

As in.....
Be very careful who you invite to dinner.
They may show up, move in, and become some of your very best friends!
As most of you know, my daughter plays volleyball. She has been playing for about 3 1/2 years.
One of her very first coaches was a fellow named Coach Mike! He seemed nice, quite knowledgable about the sport... and extremely eager to help the girls improve their skills and learn to play better!
Coach Mike's daughter was on the team also. His family... as in wife, son, and grandparents on both sides would come to every game. We would see them and speak casually...and go on back to cheering and shouting and coaching from the stands (that would be me!) When that season ended..we went our separate ways...then we played for another league the next session.
The following year, we had Coach Mike again. We planned it that way. Emily only wanted to play if she could be on his team....so we did a little coniving..and it worked. That year, the team was undefeated. It was so much fun! On the last day of games, we had a little trophy party. That was the first time we all got to really talk. Somewhere in the conversation, someone said..."We should get together sometime over the summer."
The summer was nearly over and after several failed attempts, we finally set the date for a backyard cook out at our house!
The Coach and his family came...we ate, talked, told stories, and played games. At one point, when there were about 17 kids, no lie, playing in our cul-de-sac,  the coach said.."We really like your neighborhood...there are so many kids."
His family lived in a very nice part of the Big City, however, there were very few kids...and none his kids ages.
Of course, I said, "Well, there are lots of houses for sale in this neighborhood...you should move in!"
"Oh we can't, we just refinanced...blah...blah...blah", was the reply.
A little later...as the 17 kids were lined up in our very driveway playing 4 Square... "We REALLY like this neighborhood!" was said again.
I'm sure you can tell where this might be going.
That night, their kids spent the night at our house...and Coach Mike and his wife went home to make their list of things they needed to do to get their house ready to put on the market!
Within 2 months...they sold their house to the first person that looked at it....and moved into a fabulous house right down the street from us!
Since then....almost 1 year ago....we have gotten to know this family and grown to love them dearly!
We have gone trick-or-treating together... we have been sledding and shared big pots of soup... we have watched movies on their GIANT tv screen...we have visited their lake house where my children learned to drive a boat...we have gone hiking....we have cheered for our sons and daughters on the baseball field, volleyball court and at swim meets ..... we have been out on double dates where we completely lost track of time because we were so lost in our conversations...we have been dancing (ha!)...and we have enjoyed every bit of it!
Our kids love each other like brothers and sisters (you know what I'm saying, right?) and we have even accepted the fact that our dogs have a thing for one another.
It is a rare thing when you find people around you that you feel you've known all your life.
How is it that we were only aquaintances such a short time ago?
You never know what you might find when you invite someone over for dinner....
Be careful....
they might come... move in ...and become some of your very best friends!

Mike, Beth, Haley and Michael...thanks for accepting the invitation.
You guys are the BEST!


Today's letter in alphabe-Thursday is the letter "B".
To read more "B" day posts, head on over to Jenny Matlock's blog!
Jenny Matlock

18 comments:

  1. Now that is all kinds of awesome! But be careful...I can't help but feel there's a Lifetime movie in the making here.

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  2. What a wonderful story, Jen. It sounds like serendipity. La

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  3. What a nice story! Thank God for volleyball and coaches .

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  4. How awesome when you can make a connection like this! Friends are so important...and when an entire family can "click"...how perfect is that!
    Two weeks today of two dews a day. I know it's time to cut it down to one a day...not quite ready yet though! Thanks for asking!

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  5. How awesome for you!! That is rare!

    I will be glad when our new neighborhood "gels."

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  6. I desperately need a neighborhood where there are lots of kids. My kids don't have any friends around here. Well, there are a couple, but they rarely play together.

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  7. What a great story! I live so far away from everyone and I love my solitude. I will say, however, that I miss the sound of children laughing and playing..

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  8. The older we get I think the harder it is to find friendships like that. Especially one that the whole family clicks with. Cherish that!

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  9. How fun to read the history of this relationship. I loved it!

    =)

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  10. Special friendships are so important in life! I love the picture... beautifu!

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  11. How wonderful to have great neighbors and friends.

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  12. Those are the BEST kind of friends! :)

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  13. I love stories like this. We would love to move into a neighbourhood like yours. There aren't any kids on our street, except for real wee ones. I've often wonder what it would be like to have that kind of community outside our door?
    Dana

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  14. What a GREAT story. And here is the moral: Be nice to everyone you meet--they might move in next door!

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  15. oh jen- this is a wonderful story...i think when you least expect it..when you think you've made all the really BEST friends you'll ever need or want life just surprises you...

    when we moved to england...i was looking forward to the *time out*- some serious family time...and not hoping to make any life long friends...this was what my 3 kids were taking home from england, not me...

    but then we met the charnleys...and well we can't imagine life without them...i cannot imagine a day without jane in it! not a day....!

    so i get your story 100% and i love it....

    melissa xx

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  16. What a wonderful post!

    This whole story made me smile! I suspect this will be one of those life-long friendships that you will be telling stories about forever.

    Thanks for linking this smile.

    I really enjoyed my stop here on my journey through Alphabe-Thursday.

    A+

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  17. WONDERFUL!! I'd sure love to have friends like that.
    I'd say it was FATE!

    Susan

    Pieces of Fate

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