Reader submission: A Christmas community in Miller Hill

My husband and I moved to Vestavia in October 2010. We moved from a small town in Tennessee where my husband was born and raised and where we had lived for almost 40 years.

Our desire when we moved to Birmingham was to live in a community where neighbors did more than just wave in passing, but would really know each other well enough to be aware of each other's needs. In other words, we were looking for a small town feeling in a big city.

We found our community in Vestavia when we moved to Miller Hill, a small development with 41 houses off Rocky Ridge Road. Our houses are close enough to each other to make contact with your neighbor a frequent occurrence. We know the joys and celebrations and we know when sorrow or illness occur.

What we've found now that we've lived here a few years is that Vestavia is a larger version of our smaller neighborhood. It's a community that shares in each other's lives creating that small town feeling even though it's located in the midst of a big city. We are proud to be a part of this wonderful community.

My good news is about our Christmas 2015 Miller Hill mailbox decorations. In years past, some residents would put live floral arrangements on their mailboxes and some would not, making our neighborhood look hodge podgy or unfinished looking. This year, under the direction of Mary Carman, we bought our supplies and held a tutorial meeting so that everyone would be able to place a live Christmas floral arrangement on their mailbox. It happened and Miller Hill looks festive, fabulous and finished with super participation.

Our neighborhood also had its Fourth Annual Ladies Ornament Swap the afternoon of Dec. 6. We have an intergenerational mix of half empty nesters and half mothers with infant to young teenage children which makes for interesting conversation. It's all about creating community by staying in touch. The city of Vestavia and the Miller Hill are doing a good job!

Submitted by Joletta Dean.