First and foremost; HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAX! I love you more than you'll ever know!!
Now, I know you guys are all sick and tired of me wining and crying over losing our dear neighbors, Mike and Kim, but please try and stay with me through one more Blog about our loss.
Well, last night, they made their final move from the lake. After the hugs and "I Love You's", we all stood there, tears in our eyes, watching as the U-Haul drove away from the house and down the road for the final time. I know this wasn't just hard on us as their neighbors, but also on them. I could see it in their faces. I could hear it in their voices. I felt it in their hugs......
I have come to realize over time that its rare these days to find neighbors who "want" to know each other; that want to hang out together and know each others families; that want to get involved in each others life. Well, that's what we have here at the lake. Its different than living in the city where the only neighbors you usually get to know are your alley neighbors as they come and go from work or take out their trash. Mike and Kim were telling us that they have lived in their Garland (Dallas) neighborhood for many more years than they have had their lakehouse and yet, they barely know their next door neighbors.
When Chuck and I lived in Dallas in a similar neighborhood as Mike and Kim, our first house was a rental and we tried our best to get to know our neighbors. They weren't interested. We hosted a party at our house and invited all of our new neighbors and only one showed up. Six months later, we purchased a house a block away, and the day we moved in, every neighbor on our new block, ONE BLOCK AWAY, came by, brought us coolers with ice and drinks, snacks and introduced themselves. What a difference a block makes! We went on to live in that neighborhood, Woodbridge, for another 8 years and have said many, many times how truly blessed we were, and still are, to have such wonderful friends there. The Lord has always plopped us down in the neighborhoods where we could grow and gain some of the best friends anyone could ever ask for.
So, thank you Mike and Kim, for going to the BBQ joint with us on that first day we met. And thank you for cooking for us all those Saturday nights; for introducing us to all of your families who are now a part of our lives; for fertilizing our yard and treating for grubs every year when you did your own yard; for all the quietly done things you did to help Chuck and I..........you will be so deeply missed.
So folks, that's it. I won't be blogging any more about Mike and Kim moving......we are, however, going to turn the page and start a new chapter. The next chapter is going to include these wonderful friends coming to visit and staying in their very own room here at the Etheridge house where the head of Chuck's Fan Club can cook her famous meals and we can have our Rock Bank concerts on Saturday night.........and Uno can steal Murphy's monkeys and Senator McCain doll.......Can't wait!
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8 comments:
I'm so sorry Liz/Chuck, good things must come to and end, That's a reality of life, nothing stays the same, but life must go on, however you both know you still have two good friends. God bless!!
Israel
Love the U-Haul pic …. I’m sorry for your loss …. But they’ll be back!!!
Ann Holland
It was hard driving away that night, but knowing you guys are friends for life makes it a little easier. We love you and will be back soon ..
Mike
the empty room with wood floors is sort of sad
as I am sure you all are; another chapter of
life. We all need good friends like this and
you were so lucky to have them right next door.
I am sure this friendship was reciprocal and
their hearts were aching too. hang in there.
ant ellie
Liz:
As I write this I have tears in my eyes also. How lucky Kim & Mike are to have you and the gang from Eagle Point in their lives and also in ours. I will truly miss all of you. You all were so kind and welcoming to Ernie and I. I guess when one door closes, another one opens, but they only moved out of the house, not your lives.
There is a saying here in Pittsburgh, Some Place Special, now I have to include Eagle Point in that summary.
It has been a privilege getting to know you, Charley, Becky, Troy and Norm and Sue.
I will treasure all the fun times we had at the lake.
Thanks again for all the wonderful blogs, I hope that you keep including me, in any important event in all your lives.
We love all you guys and Eagle Point. I know how hard it was for the kids to say goodbye to their house. I feel the pain also. I am crying as I write this, I am sure that Kim & Mike will always hold Eagle Point in their hearts and all of you also.
Much Love and God Bless You All
Betty
Know you are really going to miss them. Luckily they haven't moved to Australia though.
Dorothy
"Yeah!!!! I love Murphy's blog!!!!!"
Cherie
I don't think I ever thanked Charlie for the wonderful dinner he served and how thoughtful that was. Nor could I ever thank you for all of you help, not only with the sales stuff but the physical packing, organizing, etc. but most of all for the support you gave and continually give to us.... It brought me such comfort to see the part of your blog that talked about "you could see how we felt in our faces". I left there feeling very bad on Saturday night because had I been emotionally able to, I would have made the biggest deal of how much each and every one of you meant to me. I would have toasted the many blessings we have received over the years of having the lake house not only for the beauty and fun but for what was the most important and that's the relationships that we built. I just couldn't go there. I wouldn't have been able to get any of the words out without breaking the dam that's been welling up inside of me.
You always say it best and that is just one of the many things that I love about you!
Kim
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