First visit from the 5-0

[James] We were all plesently surprised by the front page article in the Dayton's Bluff newspaper this week. There, in full dress standing in front of his own new squad car, was a very familiar face...

One of the greatest perks so far here in Dayton's bluff is the fact that one of Ryan's and my best friends from high school is a police officer here on the East side. Mike McNeill has been with us from our later years in high school, drama with girls, late night hysteria, my move to Montana, his time serving in Kosovo, our transitions into adulthood; including his marriage and the beginnings of our full time careers, and then now, with our move here. Even though Mike strongly discouraged us from moving in here from the beginning, after a surprise visit yesterday he started getting excited about us being in the area. But even be it that our place is so fun and full of life, it doesn't remove us from the lives around us and the risks that we are taking.

Last night Mike stopped by again later on his shift. He informed me that he was outside by shining his spotlight in through our window. Ryan and I jumped with greater joy than Mr. Rogers when Trollie came through his little door. Kelly, Ryan and I stepped outside to hang with Mike. We were sitting and shooting the breeze until he was notified that there was a gun shot reporting just two blocks away. He jumped into his car and Dukes of Hazarded it out of here. It turns out that someone did get grazed by a bullet. The shooter ran off on foot succesfully evading the officers. After Mike returned, we all shared a mix of laughs in thinking just how cool it is that Mike has grown from being the one being pulled over by cops for our games and wrestless behavior to patroling riots, arresting people and keeping peace in a neighborhood such as this. But at the same time it was a reminder that living here is not all fun and games.

I am so excited to be able to see Mike more and to serve side by side with him. Even though we work in two different capacities, our house's hope is similar to that of the laws. I am not sure yet how the neighborhood will respond to us being "in" with the cops, but I'd rather be friends of the law than foes. Time will tell how this will all play out or for what greater purposes God has for us. I can say that it's prettay shweet having a police officer lookin after us.