Christmas in June

We live on a quiet street here in Kentucky. It it reminds me of my childhood home, with neighbors standing outside talking as they tend to their yards while their kids ride bikes and scooters up and down the street. We usually head out each evening to give McKay a breath of fresh air and a chance to pick the leaves off our trees, which he does with gleeful and reckless abandon. While we're out, we do a little weeding, chat with the neighbors, water the garden, etc. It's all pretty normal, suburbia stuff, with one slight exception.

Christmas music. Most evenings, mingled with the sound of children playing and lawns being mowed, are the strains of "Deck the Halls" and "We wish you a Merry Christmas" booming through the neighborhood. As you might imagine, my first impression was less than favorable. I thought our neighbor was totally nuts. I mean, who booms (and I do mean BOOMS) Christmas music from their front porch, especially in June? Turns out, it's actually very sweet.

Allow me to explain. Our neighbor across the street, Jim, has a grandson named Zachery. Zachery is 8 years old and has Down's syndrome. He spends most of his time at his grandpa's house and in his shadow. During the days they work together in the yard and run errands, and then, each evening, they sit on the porch. Apparently Zachery loves to dance and Christmas music is his favorite genre, so, after some length of porch-sitting (a popular pastime here in KY) on goes the music, full blast, and Zachery starts dancing. He leaps and jigs to while Grandpa Jim claps along to the beat and cheers him on.

I was outside again tonight playing with McKay to a peppy chorus of "O Come All Ye Faithful". I had to smile as I thought about Zachery, Jim, and our neighborhood's celebration of Christmas in June.