I got a House Warming Package...from Oklahoma!

Now before I share this with you, I wanted to thank SO MANY OF YOU for addressing my neighbor issue.  All of you made me smile and really think about it.  I was surprised by how much this hit home with you. 

And I really take for granted that those of you who read this blog actually KNOW me but you  have no idea that I greet most everyone.  In the grocery store.  On the street. In a store.  At the Y.  On the playground.  Everywhere. So much so that my girls do it too.  I am pretty outgoing and  I am not afraid to say hello.  Not at all my issue.  My fear is NOT BEING LIKED. So yes, I have been greeting all my neighbors, asking how they are, etc.  It seems to pain so many of them to say hello back.  And it makes me sad.  Especially when my kids say hello and they just look at them.  

But I LOVE what a lot of you said about making the first move and that it will possibly break the ice. That it should not matter what their response is to me because I am doing what I feel is right to do.  I want to love people, share the love of Christ and make some friends too!  My favorite line was from my friend Alaina who said SCONE 'EM!

So I am going to do it and I PROMISE to follow up and let you guys all know how it went. 

Oh but guess what, guess what?????  I met a sweet woman down the street who...get this...knows my BFF, her son went to the same school that Cati is going to next year but she has decided to home school full time...and she loves Jesus.  God is so delightfully good. And she is so getting the BEST scones.  Hahahaha...just kidding.

Now let's talk about my friend who knows what it means to be a neighbor...my sweet bloggy friend in Oklahoma! Who is not just a bloggy friend but a heart friend who I adore.

It astounds me that someone who has never laid eyes on me in person decided to send this fabulous care package to me as a house warming/birthday gift to me. My sweet, wonderful friend Marla is seriously amazing.  She is this glorious concoction of pee your pants funny with selfless giver. Sorry to be gross but there was no other description more fitting.  And I would assume upon meeting you she would hug you, possibly feed you, and then let you stay awhile...like 5 months if you so desired.  She is THAT wonderful.

And she sent me presents.  Which is like guaranteeing my undying love. She describes these things as a whole bunch of little nothings but not to me.  To me, these are tokens of friendship that speak straight to my heart.  And I am so touched that she would think of me and still manages, within this amazing gesture of friendship, to make me laugh. She attached these cute little notes to each and every one.

Here is my beautiful card (oh, and above is 2 beautiful notepads for the girls to doodle on..I almost took them for myself but I gotta have a little integrity. With it she sent a beautiful journal where Marla wrote inside..."keep writing").  Oh, that woman is a soul mate friend.

OK.  So I surmised that she either unloaded this piece of loveliness on me orrrrrrrrr...knew I would love it and wanted to give me something beautiful...like her.  And I do love it.

The candlesticks literally made me laugh and squeal.  Do you see what it is says?  For your 1/2 birthday at Christmas!!!!  Now I am gonna stick these chunky candlesticks smack into a cake and sing a little diddy to me.  For like 5 minutes.  I promise I realize Christmas is NOT about me. And she called those "perfect for me" candlesticks, funky vintage.  I call them pure goodness.  Love them!

Such pretty little dishes that I will find oodles of use for.  I love little pretty things.  This woman gets me.

Oh yes.

An awesome stamping/journal set that I am so excited to get my hands on.

WOO HOO!  I am an official Okie. 

And really, there is nothing like jar of dirt. It is on my bookshelf and I will treasure it.

What a sweet little liar.

And it all came in this box. 

Can we talk about how I had a moment of sadness (I am such a greedy thing) that this was not 36, individually wrapped, ice cream treats for me?  I got over it but I still laughed lots that it all came in this box.

 Miss Marla CLAIMS to have eaten all 36 in order to send me this box.

I think that was a bit cruel.

So Marla, my precious friend that invited me for the holidays and may regret this invitation if I show up on her doorstep since she left her return address for me to stalk her and I have two very busy children who never stop moving and...

Thank you so very much.  

How I wish you were my REAL neighbor.

You show me and everyone who encounters you what it means to be the hands and feet of Christ.

I love you dear friend.  Truly.