From The Grissoms'

Dearest Lindsey,

The Bible says to “Love thy neighbor”, we can honestly say it was very easy to love your mom. From the day we moved in across the street 13 years ago, she was a true neighbor and friend.

I don’t know if you’ve ever seen the movie Anne of Green Gables but there is a scene where she talks about her window friend. Anne had a pretend friend, it was the reflection of herself in the window she called her window friend. Well, in a way, you and your mom are our “window friends”. From our kitchen window, we have watched you two grow through the years. We watched you go through middle school to high school to getting married. We have watched you grow into a fine young lady. I know you’re mom was very proud of you. We’ve watched you and your mom smile and laugh together through the years all from our kitchen window. I remember the time when I was washing dishes and your mom was watching Cody. He was just learning how to sit up and she had him on a blanket in the shade while she was working in the flower bed out front. She talked to him and we’d hear him squeal with laughter. Then when he learned to walk, we’d watch her chase after Cody. He kept her on her toes! J

At Christmas time, we’d share our Christmas goodies with each other. Hers were fancy, ours were fattening but the love and the thought in which they were made, made them even more special.

There are times when neighbors need each other. Like vacations, we’d let each other know so the houses and pets could be looked after and mail picked up. Or the time she needed freezer space so she wouldn’t lose frozen food when her electricity was out for a few days. We did things for each other that neighbors do for one another. I remember the time DJ busted his chin open, blood was everywhere, and I was panicking, well it was more like freaking out. It was my first experience as a mom with an accident with that much blood. I looked out the kitchen window and saw your mom was home and immediately called her. She came right over, she was so cool, calm, and collected. After looking at DJ’s chin she said, “No big deal, couple of butterfly strips and he’ll be good as new!” She stayed with the other kids while I took DJ to get stitched up. Later, I realized she was right. It was no big deal! So the next time DJ busted his chin open, guess what I said to him? “No big deal, a couple of butterfly strips and you’ll be good as new!” J

And of course there were times when she came over to help with our pets. I remember the time she came over and told us she would be gone for the weekend because she was going to Yuma to see you. She wanted to know when “Allie” was due to have her puppies. (A couple of weeks earlier I had told her “Allie” was pregnant.) When she found out it was that weekend, she was disappointed she wouldn’t be home in case we needed her. When she got home she wanted to know how “Allie” was and if she had her puppies. I told her yes and all went well. She was happy to hear it.

As neighbors do, we’d catch up on each others lives while standing in our front yards. With both of our lives so busy, we didn’t get to catch up often but when we did we’d stand there for an hour or two just talking.

Our kids loved your mom and will miss her deeply. Any time they would see her outside they would yell across the street, “Hi! Dr. Cristy!” She’d always reply with a Hi and a smile. Last summer when she came home from her trip to Europe, the kids saw her getting out of a car and came in yelling, “Dr. Cristy is home! Dr. Cristy is home!” They loved her very much. They loved it when she would let them go over and play with Butch and Chloe. Although Chloe didn’t play fetch right. Every time Hannah would throw the ball or Frisbee, Chloe would run straight for your mom with it. Hannah would get frustrated and your mom would just laugh. J One time Josh and Hannah wanted to earn some money so they asked her if there was a job they could do for her. She found them a job. They were so excited. She could have told them no and sent them home but she didn’t. She didn’t want to discourage their ambition to work so she found them a job. That’s the kind of heart your mom had.

I can’t look out our kitchen window now without thinking that she can’t really be gone. I miss watching her go off to work, church, or her working in the yard. Your mom will always be one of our most cherished and dearest neighbors. She is greatly missed.

Love From Your Neighbors and Friends,
Daniel, Lori, Breann, DJ, Joshua and Hannah Grissom