I think all of us who moved here wanted very much the same thing. We wanted to be in a place "where everybody knows your name" and where our kids could ride their bikes the same way we did when we were young. We DID NOT want it to be a place where neighbors scurried into their homes, not willing to make eye contact because they couldn't remember your name.
But what we got was so, so much more.
It's not just that we end up having impromptu parties on the street on Friday nights or the weekends. It starts with one neighbor chatting with another and before you know it, we have all dragged coolers and grills out and the kids are yellling and screaming while the adults laugh over another beer.
These are good peeps. And they are my peeps.
Our neighborhood brings out the best in all of us. We all have each others' backs and will drop anything in a second if one of our neighbors needs us. We want to help each other out as much as possible and when someone is having some tough times on this street, all the neighbors pull through - whether it is to lend a hand or to come up with a cooking schedule so that the whole block can contribute meals to the family when things like cooking may just be too hard to handle. When it snows - everyone comes out with their shovels and snowblowers and all of the roads and driveways are slowly uncovered through the teamwork of our large extended family.
One of our neighbors is going through an especially difficult time right now and our street is taking a step back - not aware of how we can offer help and if so, what we could do. I guess we just feel so helpless that we can't make a difference when something like this happens.
My neighbors, Sherri and Stan and two of my favorite people. They are positive, fun loving, the first ones to offer up their house for these impromptu block parties. The first ones to offer up a hand. They love to laugh and make others laugh with them.
But these days, they are not laughing very much.
They have 4 sons. Will is 10, Brady is 3. And then they have the twins 6 month old - Cole and Declan.
Cole and Declan arrived only a few short weeks after Nico. We are very excited about what the three of them will get up to because knowing our kids, it's going to be trouble. But knowing they will be in it together will make it a little more acceptable, I think.
Last week, there was some terrible news. Declan had not been acting normally and they took him to the hospital. It was confirmed that something was wrong - Declan has a brain tumor. He also has a tumor on his spine and kidney.
Not much else is known right now.
Did I mention that Declan just turned six months old? Yeah.
Sigh.
It's hard to be overly happy or laugh when you have this kind of news hanging over you. I am sure you can imagine how hard it is to deal with this for Stan and Sherri.
Will you please join me in praying for the quick and speedy recovery of Declan? In our desire to help them, they have asked for nothing more than for us all to pray and to pray hard.
I have every belief that he will be home safe with the family that loves, adores and NEEDS him. He will get through this.
But please, please pray too.
I want to hear the sound of laughter from my friends' home as soon as possible.
Thank you.
18 comments:
Ok first all they need is the knowledge that people are not going to shy away, that they realize they are still the same family and this has not changed but maybe the the glue that binds them stronger.. I will put Declan on my prayer list on my blog hun.. and keep him on my list daily...
What awful news. My thoughts are definitely with little Declan and his family and friends.
Poor baby - and his family, too. I will be sending them positive thoughts and prayers.
Oh, that's so very sad. There's a huge community that came together when Tuesday Whitt was sick with, and finally succumbed to, neuroblastoma. She, too, was a twin. I wonder whether you could tap into that community. I know that Tuesday's mom, Jessica, has thrown herself into supporting other cancer families. Perhaps she'll have some words of advice.
I have another friend from my Mother of Multiples group who is currently on her Make a Wish trip to Disney. Her son (ALSO a twin) has leukemia. I know from her experience that food always helps. Not having to worry about cooking or dishes frees up a few more hours for parents to focus on their kids, both the sick, and the healthy ones who are terrified. We used Care Calendar to coordinate things for my friend's family.
I'm so sorry. I hate cancer.
I will pray for little Declan and the whole family.
Years ago, my grandfather and then my stepmother suffered brain tumors and I became involved with the Brain Tumor Society as a result (raising money, running 5k's, etc.). It can be a tough fight, but it is certainly a winnable one. It was always such a positive thing to see the survivors at these events...and there were a lot of them!
My thoughts are with that little boy and his family. I hope he has the speediest recovery.
You live in the type of neighborhood that we aspire to live in. :)
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you. With a six month old myself I want to say I can imagine how hard this is....but I really can't. I just can't. I'll give them all a mental hug and say some prayers.
How absolutely heartbreaking... I can't even imagine.
I am praying hard hard hard... please keep us posted. And let them know we are ALL praying!
Oh, how awful. I will definitely keep them in my prayers...
I am so sorry to hear this. He and his family are in my prayers. Keep doing what you're doing...it all helps.
Oh, how sad. I will definitely be sending them positive energy.
Gah. I know this feeling--we just found out that Avery's teacher's son has leukemia. He is Zoe's age.
It's so hard to know what to do, what to say. I think...you just make sure your friends know you're there. And they will come to you.
Lots of positive energy for Declan, and all the sick babies in the world. It's not right at all that such little bodies should have such horrible things attacking them.
i feel like i have heard about way too many sick children lately. it just doesn't seem fair.
all the prayers i have going to little declan.
Praying hard. :(
I couldn't imagine going through this my little one is 6 months old and when she cries it breaks my heart and we are only teething My prayers are with your neighbors and of course their little one !
What horrible news.
I agree with what someone else said---your impulses may be to step back, but they probably need you most right now, even if they don't even really KNOW what they need...
I would think at the very least phone calls, emails, meals, offers to help out w/ the other kiddos, laundry, cleaning the house, etc...might be really appreciated...I don't know. They are lucky to have such a supportive neighborhood group. Let them know you are there, waiting in the wings for whatever they need.
In the meantime, they are in my thoughts and prayers.
I'll be thinking and praying for your neighbors.
Kiran, I can't begin to imagine what your friends are going thru. As others have said, reach out to them and then reach out again. They will need you, but they may not yet know how. Make sure they know there are so many of us out here in the blogosphere thinking about and praying for Declan.
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