Molly Made Me Think....

Molly O'Riordan and her family moved from Ireland in 1963 and bought the house next door to my family's. Molly, her husband Jerry and their two children moved to the United States to help Jerry's brother manage the bike shop in our town. My folks and I loved having the O'Riordan's as neighbors! And I know the feeling was mutual. Every year the O'Riordan's had a wild St. Patrick's Day party, and my dad bar-b-qued a mean turkey for Thanksgiving that all enjoyed.

We all know how things change....Molly's husband passed away in 1977 and my mom and dad retired and moved away after 25 years of living next door to Molly and her family. They of course kept in touch over the years. I check in with Molly a few times a year and after my mom and dad passed away a little more often.

This year I sent Molly the usual Christmas card. It was a picture of my family at daughter number 4's college graduation.

Molly called and left a voice message thanking me for sending the card. She said to me, "Christy, you have a wonderful family, you are a very lucky girl."

That started me thinking... I am a lucky girl. Sometimes in the rush of the day we forget how lucky we are. Sometimes we compare ourselves to others. I find myself looking at blogs and think how perfect some of the houses and rooms I see are. Right out of a magazine. And sometimes I look around my home and think I'm not sure I'll ever have granite counters in my kitchen, or a sun porch. Or a big front porch. I've always wanted a big front porch. I may drive an 18 year old car, and there are no power windows or locks in my husbands car, you know nothing fancy, and sometimes I'm not sure we'll ever retire.

But...

I have a wonderful family and wonderful friends. I have a good job and a nice house. I have very small porch that I love to decorate for holidays. And I try and keep the old white tile in the kitchen clean and shiny. And Mr. Math and I are happy!!

And tonight I am thanking Molly for making me think...

I am a lucky girl!!!

chris