“Beginnings are usually scary, endings are usually sad, but it's what's in the middle that counts. So when you find yourself at the beginning, just give hope a chance to float up. And it will.” - Steven Rogers
Love this old Sandra Bullock movie about a mom and her awkward daughter who end up moving home to Texas after finding out that her husband has been having an affair with her best friend. The daughter doesn't understand why they have to leave their home in Chicago and doesn't know what to make of her eccentric grandmother or small town life, and so the movie follows them through the difficult time of adjustment they go through as they learn a new way of life and make friends and a new home for themselves. The movie ends with this quote and it has always resonated with my sappy side. So, surprise surprise it popped back into my mind as I thought about this post on goodbyes.
My heart still aches for all the goodbyes we've said over this past month. I know that thankfully most of them were not forever goodbyes but they were difficult none the less. We are not so naïve as to think that life will not go on with out us or that we will be able to maintain friendships as if nothing has changed from so far away. We know that our move will change things with some of the people we love most and for that our hearts grieve, as we said goodbye, and as we now begin the process of beginning again. However, we hold on to the fact that there is good in the sadness because it means that our middle counted.
Here are just a few of the many people who have impacted our lives during the past 13+ years.
College Friends
Me, Allison, Christina, Tiffany, Melinda, and Katy
God blessed me with an incredible group of friends in college. These girls walked with me through some incredibly difficulty years in college and have been by my side ever since. Many of them were in my wedding, I've lived with each and every one of them at one time or another, I've traveled on mission trips with them, celebrated many babies and birthdays with them, and we continue to make time to see one another and catch up despite busy schedules and living in quite a few different cities. I will miss these girls tremendously but know that we will stay in touch.
Melinda
Melinda has been my best friend since college and as she reminded me again and again we did not say goodbye because we couldn't say goodbye to one another. We will make new friends, but none will ever replace the friendship we share.
Couples Group - The Girls
Andrea, Candace, Julie, Courtney, Glynn, and Myself
Although I got to see these ladies every Monday night and often a few times throughout the week the moments we were able to spend together kid free were always most treasured. Sometimes it was hard to even remember what it felt like to have an uninterrupted conversation until we'd get out like this and be reminded.
Small Group
Gina, Lisa, Baby Kate, Janelle, Jessalyn, and Myself
I was blessed to be a part of this small group for the past 2 and half years and don't know what I would have done without it. It was my single most consistent kid free time. It was a time of accountability, encouragement, prayer, and it constantly challenged me to grow in not only my faith, but in my marriage, as a mother, and in all other relationships in my life. I'm so thankful for each of these wonderfully supportive and committed friends.
Brandon's Family
Uncle Henry, Great Nana, Aunt Licia, Cooper, Sadie, Me, Brandon, Wyatt, and Nana
Grandpa, Cooper, Me, Sadie, Brandon, Wyatt, and Jerry
On our last weekend before packing up we were able to spend the day saying goodbye to the family that we are leaving behind in Southern California.
Our Couples Group
I don't even know how to begin listing all the names in this picture so I'm not going to :)
This group was by far the single most impactful thing that we were a part of as a family during our time in California and the thing that we will grieve and miss the most. This was our family, a crazy family often, but a family none the less. We've been through everything you can imagine together. We've grieved together and celebrated together countless times. We not only had a meal together at least once a week for the past 5+ years, but we've also lived across the street from the Totten Family and the Scully Family for the past 3 and a half years. These were the people in the waiting room when each of our children were born, they were the ones who brought us meals when babies arrived or when kids were sick, they were the ones who babysat for us so that we could go out on a date once in awhile, they were the ones who celebrated birthdays with us, who let us into our house when we got locked out, who camped with us, who knew us not only as parents but as a couple as well, the ones who have prayed for us, supported us, loved us, encouraged us, and have always been in our corner wanting the very best for us, just as a family does. We will never get over missing our time with them as we know that what we've shared and the time of life we've shared is simply irreplaceable.
Our Kids
Mason, Sawyer, Georgia and Ava, Sadie and Mia, Wyatt and Cooper, and Lucie
(Sorry if I mixed up the girls Courtney)
We will also never get over the joy that it brought us to watch our little group grow and grow and grow as we brought each of these new little ones home.
Our Neighborhood
So the car I'm standing next to while taking this picture is mine and the cars across the street belong to the Scullys. So for any of you who wondered how close of neighbors we really were with Jeremiah and Courtney, well now you know. I remember when we purchased our house thinking I hope this is a good idea. At the time we had probably known the Scullys less than a year, Brandon had started working with Jeremiah a few months before this, and honestly moving across the street like this was a little scary. I think at first we tried hard not to be to nosey. We'd try to look the other way and pretend we didn't see them coming and going so as not to invade their privacy, but as time went on those boundaries came down and they became our very dearest friends. We have absolutely loved being a part of their family in such an intimate way and having them as a part of ours and even writing this post makes me want to jump in the car and say just kidding we changed our mind although I know we can't. These were most treasured years that we had with them and why giving up our house has been such an incredibly emotional event.
Lifelong Friends
Sawyer and Wyatt
They are 2 months apart in age and the best of friends.
Oh how my heart hurts and longs to see these little ones playing together again soon.
I think I may need to seriously go book some plane tickets about now :)
