On the street where you live...

This was "DiLallo Land" for so long...it's still hard to believe that it's not home anymore.

Throughout my childhood, I lived on the same street, in two houses, directly across from one another. Though my family only lived there until 1997, the whole street still feels like home. I stood in that street tonight and was overwhelmed with incredibly joyful thoughts...There are so many events that went on in these homes and in this street! Prom dinners, swim parties, birthday celebrations and baby showers. Years of Thanksgivings and Christmas Mornings and fourth of July firework extravaganzas. I remembered many trips to the neighbors' doors to borrow ketchup or sugar or an egg or two...
The neighborhood was built in 1965 and, for the most part the homes have been occupied by the same families for all those years. Several families are original owners. (They paid $19,000 for those houses) These families are all still very close friends of the DiLallo Family...
I attended a gathering tonight for our friend, Jerry, who was married to Chris, and lived on our street forever. Sadly, Jerry died of cancer last week.
So, here's the story...

This is the house my parent's bought in 1965...we lived here until 1970, when we move to the home directly across the street. "Ann across the street" has lived here since then. I babysat Ann's children, Erik and Dawn-Rene who are now in their mid-thirties and are now my friends.

Lenee, right, is Chris' sister and baby sat for me and MY sisters for years and years.
On the left is her beautiful daughter, Hope.

Leslee is the middle sister of Chris and Lenee...she also babysat me and my sisters.

My mother actually babysat Chris and Leslee and Lenee in the very early years! She went on to take care of ALL of THEIR children at one time or another! My mom had an especially close relationship to Jerry's son Jim, who, unfortunately, also died a few years ago. My parents' home was the one where everyone gathered. No matter what time of day or night, there would be something going on in the DiLallo household. All the neighbors knew this was a safe place to be. And, more days than not, there would be someone sleeping on the living room couch when we woke up...someone who needed a place to stay for a few days...or more.
My parents' home has always been a real home. Lucky me.

And...this is Jerry and Chris' son, Justin. My mom took care of Justin for years too! I walked Allison and Justin to kindergarten and they were in school together through high school.

The one thing that ALL of these people said to me over and over last night--most with tears in their eyes-- was, "I love your mom...she has always been there for us."
I assured them that she certainly truly loved each of them too. And she really does.
So the kids I babysat are now in their late thirties. And the girls who babysat me are now in their late forties. Something magical happened on this street...cause we are now all the same age! But something far more amazing than that has been happening on that street for years...
The blessings of true, deep, long-lasting friendships and years of really living life together.
That's the real magic.