Heidi and Steve

So, last year, sometime during the summer, we met our neighbors down the street on the corner. Well, actually Chris met them first when he was walking General and Sophie one day. I think I must have been at work, because we usually take all of our walks together. Anyway, they were enthralled with General, as 99% of people are who have never seen a brindle mastiff. They offered him some ice and that was that. I think the next time we saw them was a few days later while we were watching the Blue Angels air show. The airport is probably a mile from us as the crow flies, so we had cheap, comfortable tickets off of our balcony. BTW, if you have never seen this air show, it is awesome and would encourage you to take the opportunity. They were practicing a few days before hand and are REALLY loud, but amazing. Anyway, I think we saw Heidi that day and since she could see us coming down the street from her kitchen window she would often come out and give general some dog bones and water. They had two rottweilers at the time and are super dog friendly. We thought General was spoiled, but these guys give their animals all the best. So, over the last year of at least two walks a day past their home, we have become quite neighborly and Sophie and General both whine and cry when they don't come out when we pass by. And I am being completely literal. Sophie will cry for Heidi if she doesn't come out and general will moan and walk very slow and keep looking back. During this last summer time, she would turn the sprinklers on for G and he would soak himself and then bask in the coolness. Then we would turn in down for Sophie who would play in it and then ask for string cheese and water which Heidi always had on hand in her garage. Sophie just got used to walking into her garage and standing at the refrigerator. It has gotten so bad that when I say to Sophie that we are going for a walk, her first response is, "Park?" and if I said no because we had already walked to the park, or it was raining or not great weather, her second response is "Heidi?" So, if I say yes to "Heidi" and we get to Heidi's house and she isn't there, it is drama most of the 1/4 mile home. If Heidi is home, then Sophie gets to run around, play with the ball and enjoy a front yard. Getting her back in the stroller takes bribery. A bath, with bubbles, snack, movie, anything. She doesn't like to leave and G doesn't either. I feel the need to blog about our wonderful, kind neighbors because they have been more helpful and generous than any other neighbor. And I am looking at our carpet cleaner, which I finally decided to buy one and stop borrowing Heidi's because I felt bad using it so often. It is right here next to the computer and Heidi offered to come put it together for when I bought it. Sophie watched her put it together and whenever she sees it she says "Heidi". So, as I was sitting here listening to Sophie in her room, not napping, but babbling something, I look over and see the carper cleaner and think of Heidi. Steve or Steet as Sophie calls him is Heidi's husband and doesn't get to see us as much because of his work, but the kids love him just the same. I started thinking of all the things Heidi has given us, offered us, bought for us, done for us, and I don't think we could pay her back if we wanted. She has given us the couch Sophie loves to jump on, a nice dog ramp for General, a big plastic dog food storage container on wheels, an elevated dog bowl set with bowls, a dirt devil mini vac for our stairs, and full size dirt devil for our garage and stairs, a plastic pool for Sophie, baskets and changing table pad for our baby boy, she let us use her carpet cleaner for a year, She has gotten me milk who knows how many times, she has bought Sophie clothes, they have brought us Pizza, muffins, goodies, a Scentzy wax burner thing with yummy scents, and never lets me pay her. She gets General dog bones from Costco, always has cheese and water and animal crackers for Sophie when we come by and is always willing to come walk General if Chris is gone or the weather is nasty. She has already offered to take G out when the baby comes and even when we try to do something nice for them, they end up turning it around doing something nice for us. We invited them to dinner because we couldn't think of any way else to repay them, and they wouldn't let us pay when the check came. She has taken us to the airport, picked us up and is always willing to be available if she can be. And these are just things I am thinking about right now. I am sure I am missing stuff. Amazing. And I don't write this to brag about all these things, I write because I hope that someday when we are in a position to help someone else out like this that we will go above and beyond what Heidi and Steve have done for us. I don't want to forget how these friends have showed us how to be Christ like and real. And the thing is, and I know Chris would agree, that is how most of the people in Montana are. They are true, down to earth, give you the shirt off your back people. I know there are people like that everywhere, but we have found them in abundance here. Sometimes, we talk about renting our our place and getting something closer to Chris' work and school in Bozeman, but we couldn't leave Heidi and Steve. They are the closest thing to family we have here and we are lucky to have run across them.