Those Rental People

You all know the kind of reputation rental houses get in small well-kept neighborhoods. They are usually the ones that don't keep up their yards, have loud parties, let their dogs poop on others peoples's lawns, let their kids run in the street, etc. I remember being one of those people frustrated with "the rental people" because their grass would be two feet high or they would have loud parties and leave beer bottles everywhere late at night. Now I AM one of those "rental people". I've tried really hard to keep up my yard, plant flowers, and not cause disturbances to the neighbors so we wouldn't get that reputation here.

However, I'm afraid we may be getting dubbed "those rental people" after an incident last night. Jesikah was babysitting Micah and Jarem while I was at the chiropractor. Micah woke up from his nap screaming, completely inconsolable. He had a late nap because of his doctor appointment for his cast, which can sometimes end in screaming.

Jesikah and Jarem tried to console him by putting on his favorite movie and offering food and trying a few other things. When nothing was working, they decided to put him out in the screened-in back porch as kind of a "time out". (Well I guess it didn't occur to them that we live in a small neighborhood where the houses are very close together and everyone knows each other). Being outside only made him more upset and he was making quite the racket I guess. He could probably be heard from one end of the neighborhood to the other. :)

It was around 5:00pm when everyone was getting home from work, etc. A group of the neighbors decided to come over and see what was going on. So they knocked on the door and asked what was wrong. Then they proceeded to tell Jesikah that "the way he was acting wasn't normal" and asking where his mom was and all this stuff. 😠Apparently they were all standing around watching from across the street and next door and all around and everyone putting in their input. Ugh!! I'm sure that Micah's arm in a cast didn't help matters.

On one hand, I guess I'm glad they decided to check on Micah. Maybe they thought he had been left alone because there were no cars in the driveway since Jesikah had parked in the garage...usually we always have a car in the driveway. On the other hand, I'm annoyed that they all decided to get in our business. I feel like they took it too far by questioning her and everyone meddling and peering in on us after they realized someone responsible was with him and he was fine.

Anyway, this morning I decided to introduce myself to the neighbor across the street on the way walking Jarem to school. I thought maybe if they get to know us a little bit, they wouldn't be so quick to judge. He proceeded to tell me about "the incident" that happened at our house yesterday with "the little boy in the cast".  I told him that Micah had woke up from a late nap and was inconsolable.  I said "you know how kids wake up from late naps crying or screaming sometimes". He was like, "Oh yeah, I know. My 9 year old still does that on occasion." Anyway, after talking to him for a second, he seemed to understand that it really wasn't a big deal.

It is just a good reminder for me of the scripture in Luke 6:37 "Judge not and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven."

It's a good reminder for me to not judge others. I know I have been guilty of judging before, so I will try harder to not judge others and I hope I will be treated the same.

In other news, Micah got his permanent cast on yesterday! He chose a red cast. On the way home from the doctor, he was just staring at it, moving his fingers, and touching it with his other hand. He said it's "scratchy". What he meant is that it makes a noise when you scratch it and it's kind of a rough texture. It cracked me up how intently he was studying it. (see pic below)

When I told him to smile