Memories in the Making: A note about how everyone is nicer than me!

Paola is pretty darn awesome. The longer we live here, the more amazed I am. It has also been a bit humbling… I majorly need to 'up my game' when it comes to being a friend. Don't get me wrong, I have always cared deeply about others, and I try to be a good friend. But I kinda suck compared to everyone we have met since moving here! We have simply been floored by the generosity and thoughtfulness that we have felt. There's been way too many instances to list them all… but I'll give some recent examples.

What this cookie needs… is MORE sprinkles

Last week the kids and I were invited over to the Black's house to decorate cookies. Meagan had prepared the cookie dough, had icing of every color, and a plethora or cookie cutters and decorating paraphernalia. I brought a few jars of sprinkles. Red, Green, and yellow (for good measure) and it's not like I went out of my way. I already had the sprinkles sitting in my cabinet. Course Meagan already had about 5 jars of waaaay better sprinkles. Ones shaped like Christmas lights and multi-colored shakers. Anyways, she opened her home (not to mention fed us dinner) and then proceeded to let her daughter as well as my 5 and 2 year old roll, cut, bake, and decorate sugar cookies. As you can imagine the process was very clean, there was no mess at all. Then at the end of the evening, Meagan sent us home with a tupperware full of cookies (and told us to keep the decorative tupperware) and THANKED US for coming. What?? Why are YOU thanking ME? Did we not just crash your home, eat your food and then make out like bandits with your delicious cookies? I mean really, have I ever been this nice to anyone??

NonaJane, Jack, and Bella working on the cookies

I was proud of these… so much so that I needed to take a picture

Last night we were invited over to the Richter's house for dinner. I thought I would up my game, so I brought two little gifts that I had seen on Facebook. I cleverly placed a can of pop in a canning jar, then with twine I tied on a miniature bottle of liquor. "Enjoy a drink on us! Merry Christmas from the Schwatken's". I also made a delicious dessert to share after the meal. I was feeling pretty confident that we weren't going to be bummer dinner guests. Upon arriving there was a spread of appetizers on the table, drinks were offered (I admit I had half of a hard apple cider and it was delicious. Sorry Matthew for being baby #3.) The meal was delicious- smothered pork chops, green beans and mashed potatoes. After dinner, they said "kids.. do you want to open some presents??" They had wrapped special gifts for Jack, NonaJane, AND MATTHEW!!! All we had brought was some lousy liquor.. and in miniature bottles! What good is that? Her kids may never forgive us. Luckily Grace's birthday is around the corner so we can attempt to redeem ourselves.

NonaJane, Jack, Grace and Bella

We also went with the Black's to see the Christmas train ( I did take Grace along with us.. so I suppose that was nice…). I volunteered to drive since I now have a vehicle that seats 7! ( look at me.. doubly nice right?? yeah, well then Meagan went and bought all the kids bags of kettle corn. See what I mean? Super generous) The Christmas train is the same one that goes to Union Station, but we were able to see it down here in Drexel. BEST THING EVER. There was NO line. We literally walked thru the train twice without waiting. Then we went and sat on Santa's lap (after waiting for about 2 minutes in line). This experience was a million times more enjoyable than going to Union Station during Christmas time. Every year we have tried the Union Station thing. I have had some delusion that it would be like a Christmas movie, but it turns out to be a crowded hell hole. We get nowhere near Santa, we squeeze thru crowds, and leave bitter and hungry. Well NO MORE! Thank you small town, thank you very much.

Grace and Jack with Santa (Jack is anti-sit on Santa's lap)

I have also started to find that everyone is really connected to someone else in this town. Someone is so and so's cousin, or brother in law, or best friend. Everywhere we go I am starting to have people smile and say hi to me. (Sometimes this is bad because my brain can't keep up with all the new names and faces. Did I meet them at church? Work, Jack's school…. ahhh!) I even had a stranger at church tell me she already knew who I was, and knew the kids' names because she had heard about us! (that sounds creepy now.. but I think it was a good thing really). Either way, she offered coloring books to my kids and that was a blessing. We even got a handwritten card from someone (whom we don't know) in the church saying how "wonderful it was to see our young family at service". What is the proper response to this.. do I send a card back? Do I hunt them down at church and thank them? Or do I just take the kind words and let it make my day?
Anyhoo.. I think the moral of the story is that everyone is nicer than me. I'm not exactly sure why they even invite us over! BUT, perhaps in time these qualities will rub off on me and I too will be the type of friend and neighbor that welcomes people to the community. Just let it be known, if you are reading this and a friend of mine… that I appreciate you. I appreciate the thoughtfulness, the words, and the actions of others. Hopefully in time, they will feel it all reciprocated back!