We’ve spent the last week hanging out with friends and family, saying our goodbyes. Thankfully we’ve been able to spend a lot of time with my parents, Hubby’s mom, his grandmother, and great friends before we go. We also ventured a tiny but out of town for a couple days to spend the night with some of our dearest friends before the packing/loading/moving starts. It’s been nice to have the time to just talk, laugh and play with everyone one last time. Of course, we’ll be able to keep in touch, so it’s not like we won’t see them again. We’ll get Skype once we settle in our new place and we’ll be able to video chat with friends and family. The wonders of the internet will help keep us all close.
Emily has been saying her own goodbyes. Last week we had a playdate with one of her very best friends. They are going to become pen pals to help ease the transition, sending pictures and letters to each other. She’s also been saying goodbye to her play structures in the yard, and our giant oak tree, and other favorites. We’ve decided not to take the play structures because we are going to rent an apartment for 6 months or so until we can get a house on post. We don’t want to pay to store them, so we are passing them on to others to enjoy. It’s sweet – one of the play houses was given to us a few years ago when Emily’s best friend moved away. Now, we are able to give it to one of her friends when we move. Circle of life and all.
We’ve made sure to take lots of pictures of her with friends and any toys that aren’t going so that she can look at them anytime she wants. Over the last couple months, we’ve also made a point of visiting her favorite places around town like the museum, the carousel at the mall, and the bookstore. We’ve also talked to her a lot about how exciting it will be to go on adventures to find the fun places in our new city.
Saying goodbye can be hard, but we are also looking forward to seeing what’s ahead. We know that God has a church home for us, friends for all of us, and a place to live all just waiting for us to arrive and find them. We’ll find new parks, playgrounds, stores, and things we can’t even imagine yet. I’m looking forward to getting involved in the community and in Army life. Hubby has been in the Army these past 5 months, but it’s not as real for me yet since I’ve been in our same house, going to our same church, with my friends and family, all while living far away from a military community. It will be nice to be able to really embrace it and become a part of it.
I’ll post as soon as I can with pictures and updates from the road!