Seventeen days ago my wife Kirsten and I welcomed our third child, Abel, into the world.  He is a miracle of toes and fingers and goose noises with the occasional squinty open-eye trying to catch a glimpse of the world.  Abel is not our first child however, he is our third. He joins his older sister Fiona (4 ½) and Owen (3).  Together, I imagine we will have a hilarious time.

Of course, with the fun come trials and tribulations.  This was first evident when my wife and Abel were still in the hospital.  Owen, in a fit of exhausted tears, lamented missing his mommy and cried: “I want my baby brother to come home.” He was thoughtful in his complaint, but what he was mostly saying was, “I’m tired and need loving.” Needless to say the end of the day time can be challenging as Fiona comes home from camp and Owen returns from adventures at daycare.  I love this time of day but have my moments of trepidation.  Melt downs happen without forewarning and the child who is laughing one minute might be bawling the next and vice versa.  It is for this reason that I am so completely grateful for the community I live in.

I was informed ten days ago that dinners had been arranged and selected by a core team of faculty and staff.  Since then, we’ve had a steady stream of hot meals from co-workers who are trying to help alleviate some of that 4:00-7:30 PM crazy time.  Their efforts have been wonderfully helpful.  These meals and the generosity of my peers have provided some essential extra time for Kirsten and me to dedicate to our children, free from the hustle of meal prep.  More than this, it has demonstrated for our kids how neighbors and friends can live together.  Be thoughtful, help out, give what you have.  In essence, share. Although we’re still working on this one, my kids are getting the picture.  Fiona and Owen asked last night, who is bringing dinner tonight?  They meet the delivery with appreciation and gratitude, curious to experience someone else’s cooking.

I’ve known all along that living in the Hyde community has its benefits.  As my children grow up here I see how colleagues and students care for Owen and Fiona, watching out for them, and nurturing them.  I look forward to introducing Abel to Hyde and to the world, knowing those right here at home will be helping to bring out his best and to teach him some of life’s more precious lessons.

John