Notes from me to you

so i know this isn't my blog to gush about things, but i think most of you check in more often with this one.. and I just had to share this with everyone! :)

what most might not think twice about or maybe for a few a seconds.. i occasionally have the tendency to dwell. this can be on positive and negative things. i've been told i "think too much.." whatcha' gonna do?

as i said in the last blog, i've tried to get a hold of or find out if most that i know in the twin cities are ok and have been blessed to hear only good results, thus far (in that situation there were thousands of lucky people waiting in traffic and an unaccounted number of unlucky crossing the oh-so-trusted bridge.. well, i suppose that's just a one way of secularly looking at it and a whole different blog of reflection..).

Either way, at one point yesterday, I had a text from my new neighbor, Karin, asking how my friends in Minneapolis were; a voice mail from pat (life-long friend/friend-of-family/neighbor) saying, "heyyy neighbor laura..." he was just checking in to see if everyone in MN that I knew, was ok. I had another voice mail from Stacy, one of the 998's (boys who used to live in the same little apt. complex as myself in St. Paul). His message began, "hey neighbor Laura."

:)

At that moment, in the midsts of an insanely busy day on the orthopedic floor where oncology nurses should not be working, where my eyes could only quickly scan the news of Minnesota and my heart ached to be home watching the news and praying.. in the midsts of all of this.. the realization of God's blessings hit me once again. Neighbors. A simple word, but one that has come to mean so much.. a lifetime of amazing friends who've become like family who have loved, cared for, and supported me through out my life.

When I ventured out to live on my own last year in May, I was slightly nervous. I'm a pretty social gal and seem to thrive in community, so I wasn't sure how I'd do on my own. Then I started meeting the neighbor boys upstairs (6 guys who lived in a 6-bedroom apt.. and when i say guys, i mean incredible, genuine, caring, welcoming, talented, intelligent, amazing men) who become like a whole new set of brothers to me, helping me hang pictures, teaching me things, advising me on "boy situations," etc. We lived in a great little fellowship for a year, going out every monday for dollar burgers, throwing parties, making dinner, singing w/guitar after-hours, kayaking, playing in the snow, we even managed to have many-a-conversation about God/s, religion/s, wars, etc., buy a Christmas tree and decorate it, and have a "Christmas dinner." if you were to find a blog on here, a few blogs back, there's actual picture documentation of this year from the slide show they made me when i left.. yeah.. exactly, 6 guys!! outstanding.

Ingrid was once a neighbor, as well, as was Lindsey, Debbie, Dani, Rachel and a dorm full of other amazing women.. some of which are my closest and dearest friends and with that comes blogs and blogs of blessings. :) ("on concordia, on concordia......" who's excited for sisters weekend "come home for homecoming 07?")

Then there's Ben and Lucy... oh my.. talk about incredible people!!! This early-30's, Christ-loving, amazing couple lived next door to Jill, with whom I lived for two years, and I met by nothing other than divine intervention. Ben and Lucy shared their lives, family, daughters, and home with me for two years. Many blessings came from those two years that i cannot even fathom to sum up in this non-gushing blog.. ;)

But I will try to sum it up here, folks. If you've been a neighbor to me, Thank you!!!! Know that no matter what you believe, God used you in my life and you blessed me!! For you I will always be thankful. From childhood neighbors, dorm-room neighbors, post-collegiate neighbors, down-the-street neighbors and now california neighbors.. I say in all humility, "Wow... I've been blessed."



"A good neighbor is a priceless treasure." - Anonymous