The kindness of neighbors

So much has happened in the last month. I got a job -- it is about a 1/2 hr from where I presently live, but 15 min from where I will be living after the wedding! It is a very good opportunity for me and was the first place I interviewed with, so it is very much something to thank God for.

Today, it was a crazy snowy day. I ran an errand at lunch for someone and almost got stuck in the snow a few times. Part of me says I was crazy for doing such a thing, because it had taken longer than normal to get to work.

Anyways, after I returned home from work, the plows had made the street fairly clear, but the apron of my driveway had a bunch of plowed snow. So, I parked the car on the street and started shoveling. (I had put a shovel in the car that morning.) Some time passes, with me slowly making progress with the snow, when this lady comes up and tells me she called a plow on my behalf. She lives across the street from me and said that the people here like to look out for each other and she didn't think it was right for me to spend the whole evening shoveling when I work all day and that I should go inside and have some warm soup or something. She knocked a little later in the evening to give me her name, address and telephone and told me to feel free to ask her for help anytime (and gave me an opportunity to pay her for calling the plow -- I felt that with my having a job again it was the right thing to do).

So, my driveway is fairly clear (not 100% snow gone, but at the same time more than clear enough for my little car to drive over). And, honestly, if I would've had to do it myself I might still be working on the apron, or at best some part of the driveway. Funny, how much longer things take when there aren't other family members around.

It has been an very interesting day. I have a lot for which to be thankful.