Our Neighbors In Heritage

The community we live in is called Heritage.

It's a few streets nestled away in the western fringes of Catonsville.

Our neighbors two doors away, Doug and Sharon, invited us over for dinner last night. It was a set-up!

When we walked in "the gang" from Heritage was there to surprise us. And boy, were we surprised! You could have knocked Beth over with a feather.

Leslie and Bob handled the desserts, and we had an ample supply of pastries from Sugarbaker's in Catonsville...

And they had a BEAUTIFUL cake for Merrilee!

Sharon and Doug gave us Merrilee's first "uniform." We're taking it with us to China. I can see the headline now -- "Youngest Ravens Fan Visits Guangzhou!"

We can't wait to have Merrilee dressed in her Ravens warm up suit when the Ravens play the Steelers. Mr. Dave across the street (huge Steelers fan!) will just have to learn to live with that. But we think Dave and Jessica's daughter, and Emma Sue, our next door neighbor, will both like having another little girl in the neighborhood.

We have a great neighborhood, and we got so many nice toys for Merrilee -- toys, and books, and gift cards, and even a membership to the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. We think Emma will like to go with us when we take Merrilee on her first visit.

So thanks to everyone -- Sharon and Doug, Leslie and Bob, Emma Sue, Jessica and Dave, Emma, Mr. and Mrs. Jann, Ray and Janet, and Mike and Tara (who just had their second child a few weeks back. They were in Ocean City on vacation and couldn't make it, but they were very thoughtful with their gift.)

We know Merrilee is going to love being a part of the neighborhood, and on her first stroller ride, we're crossing the street and going right by Mr. and Mrs. Jann's first!