Yesterday when I got home from the chaos of the kids’ parties at their respective schools, I pulled in my driveway and noticed something odd. Kind of puzzled for a moment, I looked around- something’s differnent- but what? My yard looks… nice. Oh MY GOODNESS, someone raked all my leaves!!

It took me a second to register, because really, it just looked nice, and couldn’t put my finger on why. But there it was- all raked and tidy. When I got inside, I could clearly see out the back door to a dozen piles of nicely raked leaves, and my emerald grass peeking out again. I hadn’t seen green since I got home from California two weeks ago.

Leaves are my nemesis. I adore my deciduous trees- the canopy of summer, the home for my butterflies, the bird’s nests they harbour, and the fantastic color they give me in the fall. But the leaves, when they do fall? Bad, bad news for asthma and allergy sufferers. So the leaf-raking has always fallen on my husband… and well, now, that’s not really an option. I’ve been looking at them with dismay as the layers grew deeper and deeper.

And then the Leaf Ninjas showed up.

In my mind, I rolled over who it might have been. Friends? People from church? My neighbors got sick of my yard? A boy-scout project? Hmmm….

Then the rest of the night got crazy and I didn’t think about my leaves anymore. Until this morning, when I was getting ready for the day, and my doorbell rang. It took me a moment to get to it- and by the time I answered, there was no one there. But in my driveway was Mo and her entire family, gloves, rakes and leaf bags, ready to go. They live about 45 mintues away- and they had driven out here yesterday, worked, then come back this morning to finish the job.

Friends sure do make life a better place. I’m humbled by the constant stream of goodness being directed my way- so many people have reached out to me, in small (and grand) ways lately to let me know they love me and my children. I am so grateful.