Checking in

Oye. I am sorry (both sorry for myself and my record keeping and to any readers I have) for the lack of posts of late. I also started this DRAFT post back in June too! HA! You'll see the wording change from then until today.

Our summer has begun. I has been nice, so far, to be off routine and done with official home school. My goal is to get back on track with summer schooling, but I'm going to be flexible with that for the month of June and early July. We only have one more month with our best friends (it's rare when your eldest daughter AND me the mommy share deep, personal friendships within the same family) before they move north. I certainly won't put math drills or phonics work before day long playdates, sleepovers, etc with their children and mine (not that we moms have the time to sit and gab as they play sadly - we both visit when we can, and then tackle big to do lists. Oh, the joys of adulthood. She also has TONS of painting and packing to do single handedly when I can't help her).

S and I.

S's oldest and mine have literally grown up side by side together being next door neighbors, and her middle daughter eventually made our girls a tight knit threesome. When Valiant came along, it took her a couple of years to show interest in playing with them - but her middle daughter has always been sweet and generous to Val - to the point Valiant now calls her "my best friend". Our sons have about 4 years between them (both the babies of the families!) but enjoy playing trucks together.  Our families have gelled well...almost symbiotic.

Here was the first picture of our children - almost 2 year olds. Contrast that to the "last" official picture taken living in the same place - how we've blessedly grown!

Pretty amazing, eh? It's been a wonderful, and eventful, 7 years of friendship. We've tackled some BIG issues in those years. From marriage ones, to loss, to mistakes and great stress, to deep bonds. It's been such a ride. I look forward to years of visiting to come (I'm not a big driver, so I need to start a flight fund!).

I get very choked up looking back at the last 7 years...such a feeling of family!! Remember with me:

Sigh. These are not even all the pictures I found, or could include. Especially how much E has loved Valiant too. 

Since I started this post, they have officially moved. They finished packing their 2 moving vans and left late Thursday and arrived late Saturday "morning." After sleeping in at their hotel, they went to see their new house and God did not fail them. Moving can be so hard for families....no friends, stress on the parents, etc. Well, when they went to look at their house, they found the whole neighborhood was throwing a summer celebration across the street - bouncy jumps, elastic strap trampolines, NEIGHBORS, KIDS, games, FOOD, FUN!!! They met so many of their neighbors, and their children met friends THEIR age! How cool is that? What timing! A total answer to my prayers for sure, and I'm sure theirs!

I treasured our last week together. I kept their kids for a 3 day sleepover my children SAVORED. I made my mother's special "sleepover only" homemade donut recipe for them one last time (the one from my childhood my friends still remember). 

I also went and helped pack when I could as well. It was hard work, and I got tired, and  had to remind myself they had to be so tired and frustrated too. If I ever see bubble wrap again...HA!

I was able to savor some personal mementos too. Since she could not take a lovely old tri-pane glass window for a craft she has been wanting to do, I was able to keep it. I plan to make it into a great piece for our future home that reminds me of her. She also told me to take a leaf cutting of a beloved plant of hers. She left one for her mother, and one for me:

I can't wait to watch it bloom, and meet the challenge of keeping it alive and I can finally plant it once it grows a root! Sounds like the start of a lovely friendship. 

Sigh. I miss them already. And I sense more goodbyes to beloved friends as geographical distances grow soon, too. So, before I get more teary, I'll end this with a toast to our amazing friends:

Cheers to AMAZING friends who are family!!!

Safe travels, and prayers for a fantastic new life up north 

blessed with friendship this amazing and treasured!! 

God Bless you, dear ones! Please pray for their unpacking and adjusting dear readers! THANKS!