A few years ago, I was six months pregnant with our oldest child. My husband and I decided it would be a great time to buy our first home. And move. Brilliant, right? The thought of bringing our new little baby home to our very own home just seemed so sweet. I swear we looked at seven hundred different homes and nothing felt just right. One morning at work, I was browsing real estate listings with coworkers and this perfect little house popped up. That day was the first day it was listed and I immediately texted Ben and our fabulous realtor, Mandy. We were all able to meet there for a showing over lunch. On the way to see it, I called Ben and said, “I think we’re gonna like this one. I think we should probably put in our offer today.” He was very kind in his response to his super pregnant wife, but I’m sure he was actually thinking something like, “Are you insane, woman? This is the 701st home we’ve looked at and there AIN’T NO WAY you can know right now that you’re going to like it.”
Well, I sure did love the house. And so did a lot of other people because at least 3 other offers were made on it that very day. By some act of God and a little real estate magic by Mandy, we were the lucky winners. And, for the record, I still love our precious little home. Today I will tell you that it’s not just the house I love, nor the awesome view of a big beautiful field we have out back. It’s also our WORLD CLASS neighbors.
Meet Daniel and Lauren. In a few short months they’ll welcome their second boy. They live right across from us and we have been so blessed to have them as not only neighbors, but more importantly, friends. In a regular week, it’s pretty common to borrow some eggs, help each other move big heavy stuff, or watch our boys bubble-mow the driveways. In the tough times, they’ve been there at 1 am when we needed to go to the ER and they’re always the first to deliver a delicious meal. We love them dearly. Having a community of friends who love and serve each other is so precious.
Daniel is laid back and fun loving with a down-to-earth sense of humor. He’s always building something or working on a cool project for Lauren or their son, Graham. He’s a worship leader at our church, and it’s always cool to walk in on a Sunday morning to see his familiar face singing and playing the guitar. Lauren is maybe the sweetest person I’ve ever met. She has a soft and quiet demeanor and is always thinking of and helping others. She is a patient, encouraging, and dedicated boy mama. Together, they are darn good cooks and have the gift of hospitality. They are also super adventurous, always hiking or traveling somewhere exciting.
Daniel and Lauren, we’re so grateful for you and for your friendship! It’s crazy to think we didn’t know you just three years ago. We’re so blessed to be navigating life with you guys and we sure can’t wait to meet your perfect new baby boy.
