Love letter

Dear Wildfire,

I know it's been almost two years since we parted and I left you, but the love for you has never faded. You were our first "true-love". Sure you were a street, but you were a street full of love and memories. I remember turning down you, Wildfire, for the first time. You were so cute, full of little houses with tree swings, bikes, kids, and parents galore. You were so full of all those things, it almost made it impossible to drive to the house we so wanted to look at. When we first went down your street, we thought it funny that so many toys, and kids were outside. Noah was only 2 months old, so we had no idea of the impact playing outside in the front yard has on a little one. Oh, Wildfire, when we finally got to tour the home you had to offer us, we fell IN. LOVE. When I say we fell in love, we fell FAST and HARD (except the orange paint on the outside of the house that we were going to "change right away"--which turned in to not changing until the week we moved away...). We couldn't wait to put an offer on this house on your street. You treated us VERY kindly, thank you for that. I remember moving in to your house. That day we found out that someone I had grown up with at church lived next door. Little did I know that his wife would quickly become such a dear friend of mine, who would introduce me to another dear friend of mine (who lived a street down from you... but she loved you too, Wildfire! I think she secretly wished she was lucky enough to live on your street..).

As all three of our families friendship grew; I took for granted what you, Wildfire, provided for us. When had only lived with you for two short years, I was already walking in to our sweet neighbors homes without knocking, our kids would run up and down the streets for HOURS on end. I never got lonely during "busy season", for even if I didn't have anything to do, I knew you would provide me with hours of entertainment with the friends housed on your street. There were many of times we would scrimp our change together, in hopes it would make $5.00 so we could go get a Little Ceasars pizza and eat it outside for dinner. After which, we would go in one of our houses and watch TV until the kids just fell over from exhaustion. How blessed to be on your street. Most people will never understand what it is like to have that kind of neighborhood.

Slowly though, you couldn't offer what we thought we wanted. Our dear next-door neighbors moved off. They abandoned us and our other dear friends, the "wanna-be Wildfires". It was still great (although we missed them dearly) for 3 more years, until they, too, moved off. Followed by us. It was so tough to leave you. You will never know. I miss all the opportunities that my "weed-growing" neighbors (see previous posts from a couple of years ago.. ha!) gave me to blog. Or my across the street neighbors.. one, who I'm sure was a pedophile, and one who liked to keep pet squirrels.. again, the most AMAZING blogging material. I miss the friendships and family we had while living with you.

It's been almost 2 years here now, and I'm not NEAR in the same place over here with friendships as I was over with you. I adore my neighbors, but they are so "normal". Nothing funny going on here. No family to walk-in on without knocking, no kids for my kids to run up and down the street laughing with. No one to keep me company while my husband is away. It's funny how we thought we needed to part ways with you, and now we would do anything for another day, week, month, or another 5 years...

I wanted you to know the "break-up" we had was quick and hard.. but it was nothing you did.. it was us. You were nothing but a gracious host for 5 wonderful years. Here's to hoping that your new found homeowners are as grateful for you as we are now. But, I doubt it, hindsight is always 20/20...

With the fondest of memories,

Lindsay