We have some older neighbors who live about 10 houses down from us.  Mr. Right and I know them from political activities as well as being neighbors and consider them our friends.  Mr. DC occasionally stops at our house takes a walk.  He stops to chat and to take a break before returning home.  Even though he does not live very far away, it is a challenge for him to walk the distance.  The last time he did this was last October, when all 4 of us had strep throat.  We told him through the glass screen door that he could sit on our front porch but that he did not want to be around us right then.  That was the last time the children saw him face to face in a year.

Last December the man Mr. DC fell off a step stool outside and broke his hip.  Crushed his hip is probably a more accurate term than break his hip.  He has a serious heart condition.  At first the doctors were not sure they would even be able to operate with the weak heart and the necessary extensive surgery.  Luckily, they were able to operate and after 3 weeks in the hospital and another 4 – 6 weeks in rehab, he was able to come home. 

When he returned home, we took dinner to their house a few times.  The children were with me when we dropped the food off.  Since Mr. DC was in a wheelchair and just home from the hospital, I thought it was best for the children to stay in the car.  I was concerned that they might be too rambunctious for his fragile health state.

Since then, the children have asked several times how Mr. DC is.  They have been curious about his legs.  Tonight was the first time they saw Mr. DC since he stopped at our strep infected house almost a year ago.  We were at a pizza restaurant and Mr. DC and his wife sat at the table next to us. 

We talked to him for a few minutes at our table.  He was walking with a cane.  BusyBoy asked us what the cane was and why he needed it.  I told him it was a cane to help him walk.  After Mr. DC left our table, BusyBoy said he wanted to talk to him.  We encouraged him to get up and go talk to Mr. DC at his table.  BusyBoy walked over there and said, “Mr. DC, why do you have to have this cane?”  Mr. DC explained why he needed it and showed BusyBoy the scar on his leg from his surgery.  He also told BusyBoy that he had a plate in his leg and hip and pointed to it.

When BusyBoy came back to our table, he said he liked Mr. DC and then hugged Mr. Right.  When it was time to go, both GigglyGirl and BusyBoy wanted to tell the couple good bye.  BusyBoy then proceed to say, “I love you Mr. DC” and gave him a hug. 

At bedtime tonight, GigglyGirl said she wanted to thank God for the couple, which we did in our prayers.  After the prayers she said she wanted to thank God for Mr. DC and ask God to make his leg better.

I was so impressed by my children’s reaction to this couple and their tender hearted kindness.  I am thankful for our children and for the Cs tonight.

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