Today I attended a funeral of an old friend from the old neighborhood. Monte Edwards passed away unexpectedly. I met dear friends from a dear past. We reminisced about a magical time that we spent together. I know that I have always felt nostalgic about the old neighborhood. Talking with others I realized that they felt the same way. It seems that when we bought our first home we stumbled into the ideal place to raise our young family. It was a new little subdivision. The road ended at our home and down the street at the Edward's home. We were isolated from other neighborhoods--our own little "culdesac" of sorts. We all moved in within a couple of months of each other: The Sharron and Steve Christensen family, the Jacobsons, the Pitchers, the Strongs, the Kim and Carrie Christensens, the Chandlers the Edwards the Pitchers, and us. Laura was 6 months old when we moved in and there were 3 other little girls just her age. We all had our children together and became an extended family. The dirt hills provided a perfect place for the kids to run and play. Everyone looked out for everyone else. We laughed together at parties and played together on warm summer nights. We cried together too sometimes. As I talked today with Candy, Sharron, Carrie, Mary Pitcher, Juanita and Alice Jean, we all realized what a magical time that was in our lives. I hope that my grandchildren will experience something that wonderful, that makes them look back at their lives and realize that they really lived the "Leave It to Beaver" experience.
Most have moved away and moved on from that cherished time. But we all agreed it was magical and bonded us together forever.
About Me
- Elder and Sister Swenson
- Salem, UT, United States
- We are the Swensons and are excited to be missionaries in the Manchester New Hampshire mission. We began our mission on August 5th 2019 and are planning on serving for 18 months. This blog will document our journey.
While I have very fond memories of our "new" house, I still have so many wonderful memories of our house in Dreamview. Joy school, neighborhood parades and carnivals, pretending to be Trisha's baby, playing under our fruit trees in the back yard, digging tunnels through our raspberries, birthday parties in our basement, and many more. I think I was too young when we moved to realize what a magical place that neighborhood was and how sad I would feel someday for leaving it. I am so glad I got to have such a charmed childhood and I hope my kids get to experience the same.
ReplyDeleteI was reading in the old family newsletters the other day and realized you were just my age when we moved from that dreamview home - Has it really been that long ago? You're such a young, fun grandma!!! Really, all my best childhood memories are of that home, and I still dream about it in an off-form at night. But the garden, the raspberries, the fruit trees, my fear of the spiders in the wood shed, even the neighbor's little chihuahua will always be part of me - it really was a magical place. :-)
ReplyDeleteLaura, I think I was a little older--we moved into our new home in late August of '88. Hmm. I guess I was ALMOST 35. Pretty close.
ReplyDeleteCrazy, huh? And I turn 34 in a few months? It's all gone way too fast, but it's fun we have such great memories of that house. I can't even imagine the stress of building a house with these little kiddies and running to piano lessons and putting together the Safety Kids and being the PTA president... seriously, when did you breathe? And thanks for doing it all, too. :-)
ReplyDelete