I Love My Neighborhood
Michael playing with our neighbors.
As I mentioned in a previous post, we’re moving to a new duty station this spring. I’m excited to move; we’ll be closer to family, we like the area where we’ll be living, and Charlie won’t be deploying. Along with the excitement come a few worries too.
What concerns me most about our next duty station is our future neighborhood. We don’t know where we’ll be living yet; it’s still too soon to say. Our current neighborhood is the greatest for young families, children, and housewives like myself (if that’s what you want to call me). I fear that we won’t find the same neighborhood dynamics at our next residence. If I could create my own little “Pleasantville”, this is what it would boast:
- Friendly neighbors who are comfortable knocking on another’s door for butter and sugar. My current neighbor and I are constantly asking each other for household items such as laundry detergent, eggs, and butter.
- Safety is a necessity. With two growing children, I want to know that we are safe in and outside our home. Michael likes to play outside in the yard while I’m running in and out with the groceries. I need the confidence knowing that he will still be playing with his toys when I come back out for him.
- Playgrounds and a pool located in the neighborhood are awesome conveniences. I grew up in an area where we walked to the community pool from our house. It made for unforgettable childhood memories and I want to provide that for my children… plus, I want it for myself! Michael also loves to ride in his wagon to the playground where we meet-up with all the neighbors who have children his same age. It makes for fun afternoons that wear Michael out.
- Privacy when it’s desired. I’m not asking for much, maybe just some trees or a fence to clearly mark the properties will suffice.
What do you look for in a neighborhood?
