I talk about being self-sufficient alot here at Two Frog Home, but in all honesty, I don’t believe in 100% self-sufficiency.  I think people need community, I believe its hard-wired into the very fabric of our souls or our DNA, if you’re the more scientific type.  I believe we can create and do a lot by our own hands, but when we combine our individual skills with those of our neighbors and community, well, then you have something fantastic, almost magical.  The thing for me, has been finding community in this day and age, I just haven’t been able to find it locally.  I’ve found plenty through blogging, and I’m so very grateful for that, but as much as I adore this blogging community, its still virtual.

In the last several months, I’ve gotten to “know” a few bloggers including Carla and Kelli who are almost local at least by Montana driving standards and I know we’ll meet (plans are in the works).  I’ve also had the chance to meet to Jessica, who is just a mere 20 minute drive away.  I look forward to getting to know her and her family much better in the coming months.  This has been very exciting for me, community at last.

We’ve had a chance to meet our neighbors on both sides of our new home.  The neighbors to the south are a wonderful couple with two kids 9 and 15.  The neighbors to the north are a wonderful couple, Lee and Marie, with no children and tons in common with Jeff and I.  We’re grateful for both neighbors on so many different levels and we’ve been told how grateful they are for us.

Lee and Marie are just greats.  Marie quilts and cans, can I have a hallelujah?  Lee and Jeff have hit it off and are already trading labor, again can I have a hallelujah?  Lee helped Jeff install a storm door and a new door to the back of the garage on Friday.  Jeff has plans to help Lee put some metal roofing on one of his out buildings as soon as the material comes in.  Lee and Marie also have some property out in the mountains that is very remote and off-grid.  A place they use to gather wood and keep just in case the time when the world as we know it ends or as Lee says, “when the bomb goes off.”  That property has a cabin in need of some new siding, that Jeff will also be helping Lee with in exchange for hunting and wood gathering freedom.  Lee also has root cellar building experience which we’ll be tapping eventually.  Honestly its incredibly (can I just say that again? incredibly!) refreshing to have neighbors with similar belief systems, values, and goals.

The extra special great thing about these neighbors is that, not only are they friendly, they also keep to themselves.  Its a joy, to know that we can be friendly, share and trade items, but not have to visit constantly.  That’s important for me, I’m a homebody and not good at visiting or having visitors constantly, I like community but don’t want it so much that it interferes with my lifestyle, either.  (I know fickle, fickle.)

I’m taking all of this as another sign, that this is exactly where Jeff and I are supposed to be living.  We belong here on this property, we feel it constantly and it seems we get affirmations from the outside daily.  I’ve felt God with us through the entire house purchase, I know this is where He wants us, the plug could have been pulled so many times.  That faith in His leading, has brought us home and apparently brought us community.  Let me just say again, I’m so very grateful and blessed.