NEW NEIGHBORS SOON

The empty grass lot across the street from us has a big SOLD sign on it! YIPPPEEEE! New neighbors! After investigating the issue I discovered that a young family with children hopes to be in their new house by Christmas. When the trucks and machinery arrive any day now I plan to put my lawn chair out on the front sidewalk and watch it happen. I might even make cookies for the roofers! It'll be so fun to watch children playing nearby and hear their laughter through my windows.
I woke up this morning thinking of houses. I've lived in 12 different abodes, 11 since we were married. They've been all different styles and located in 9 different cities across America. Each house and each city had a different personality. After the boxes were unpacked it usually took about 3 years before I felt "at home" in my new place. Experience has taught me that it takes 1 year to get the house in order. I spend the 2nd year attending, joining, working, volunteering and basically getting to know what opportunities are available and what people are friendly. The 3rd year is spent "ditching" things I found boring during the 2nd year. By the time year 4 comes around I'm settled with good, good friends, a new church home and interesting things to do. The process just cannot be rushed! (Evidently I'm slow when it comes to change.) New friends USUALLY come from other transplants, people that realize that time is short and you can't sit around and look at folks for a year or two before you decide to befriend them. The moving van might be pulling in just when you make the decision that you like that person! I remember a conversation with my dear mother-in-law years ago when she was telling me some news about the "NEW" people that lived nearby her. When I asked when they'd moved in, she thought about it, smiled and replied, "Oh, it was 10 years ago." Still new?? I suppose everyone is NEW when you've lived in one spot for 60 years as she had. And there are certain areas of the country where it is just impossible to adapt quickly because the population is cold and stand-offish. But that is NOT the case in Oklahoma. We're beginning year 4 here now and there are some very friendly, wonderful, lovely people in this area. My transplanted friends and I try to FIND something to complain about and just can't! And there are some locals that have reached into my heart and will be my buds throughout eternity.
I'll try real hard not to be a noisy neighbor, but my goal is be sure that the family moving in across the street will never regret having chosen that spot of America as their own.