Sunday, October 02, 2011
~Community~
Community.
com·mu·ni·ty
1.a social group of any size whose members reside in aspecific locality, share government, and often have acommon cultural and historical heritage.
3.a social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the largersociety
within which it exists (usually preceded by the ): thebusiness community; the community of scholars.
5.Ecclesiastical . a group of men or women leading a commonlife according to a rule.
I have experienced community life in recent weeks that is almost hard to believe.
You can't force friendship.
You can't force "real".
You can't fake trust.
You can't pretend "family" if it's not the real deal.
I realize that may make zero sense but I can't help but typing it.
That's where I am. After years of moving around, and with every move providing instant friendships because every move was centered around the medical community, i.e. medical school, residency, and fellowship, I was a little terrified of our first "non-medical" move.
I was sure our luck had run out.
There would be no more Young, Gambrells, Mitchells, and Dunlaps in the world. We were done. Hosed.
Saturday morning, at 7 a.m.
 , I got a call from my sweet husband, on his way to do rounds and operate.
He said,
"Jon called, has extra tickets, and wants to take the kids to the UGA game with him."
I thought, All the kids? He is c.r.a.z.y. Nice, but c.r.a.z.y.
I refused to inflict pain and misery on this kind man by sending FOUR kids with him to a football game.
Long story not so long, he ended up taking his oldest daughter and our Reese to Athens. (Anna Grace, affectionataly known as, "AG" by her family, has earned the nickname, "AG" in our house as well, because my girls think her initials sound even better than a full "Anna Grace". It is their term of endearment for this precious little girl.)
The simple fact that I had zero hesitation about sending my seven year old to a collegiate football game with a friend and her Daddy, speaks for itself. If that's not trust, I don't know what is!
But the story gets better. Reese gets carsick and vomits in the parking lot on the way there.
~Yeah.~
But then, she got celebrity treatment at the game which made it all better.
Corndog, field level access, and pom poms. The little iPhone pics had me smiling all day.
Saturday night, we had the priviledge of going to an engagement/pre-wedding shower for Heather. Remember her? My amazing neighbor that brought me brownies and four smiling faces when I was barely pregnant and new to this town? Read her story here. It's actually only a part of her story. The rest is yet to be written and I am thrilled to be a part of it. You should know Andy.....he's pretty amazing himself.
One day last week, a guitar knowledgeable friend dropped by to make sure the guitar I got for Jake fit him and showed me a cool tuning app on my phone. (Oh, and my house was a MESS when he came.
 I just politely said, "'excuse the mess, Chris. Come on in!")
We just got leftover brownies dropped off at 9:00 p.m. because our friends knew we like brownies.
We had friends drop by last night after the shower and I actually changed into pajama pants while they were here. That either says how much like family they are or just how tacky I am. Or maybe just how much I love pajama pants. Either way, I'm pretty sure your about as good as family if you put on pjs when you have company.
This morning at church, we actually had church. I could write an epistle here, but I won't. It was just one more example of people I've been surrounded by that I care about, want to invest in, and am so incredibly thankful for. People that let you say whatever is on your heart and love you anyway.
It sounds obvious to be thankful for people, I guess.
But like I said, you can't force friendship and family. "Authentic community" (I think I just made that term up), is a commodity I don't want to do without.
So, to all my people, you are just that. My kind of people and I appreciate each and every one of you.
How about some beach pictures?!
And tomorrow is my birthday....in case you wanted to know.
I'm proud to say I'll be 37 tomorrow. Getting older beats the alternative! I'll take 37 with a smile.
                  
Now THAT! Is funny. I don't care who ya' are.
~stacey
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