Learning To Say, "See Ya Later"

If there's one thing I learned in my military experience it was to never say "goodbye"...it's just too hard to say, cause it seems so final, so instead, I learned to say "see ya later", that was easier for me to swallow , easier for me to accept. In all our moves from Fayetteville, to Georgia, to Little Rock to Birmingham and back again to Little Rock again, I have used this phrase a bunch!

Well, just yesterday I had to pull it out again unfortunately. Some dear friends of ours, the Koss', who have been anticipating this move for quite some time, are actually packing up the last of their things today and setting off on a new adventure in Tennessee. God has most assuredly orchestrated their steps, and gone before them in this new season, but it is still hard to see them go. So yesterday us girls (and most of the 20 kids that the six of us couples have) got together for one last playdate before they officially make the move.


The weather didn't completely cooperate at the park so we did seek shelter from the rain and ended up having our picnic lunch in the pool house pavilion.


Adam and I have LOVED being apart of this group, together we all have grown deeper in our walks with the Lord as well as in our friendships with one another. We are so grateful for these men and women, to say we've been "iron sharpening iron" would state it perfectly. We have thoroughly enjoyed the fact that we can let down and completely be honest and open with these people. God has blessed us with kindred spirits and we are so very thankful!


As I was thinking back on our friendship with the Koss' I realized our history goes back more then a decade, I am just amazed as I think about all the "major" life events we've walked through together from high school dances and graduation, to college life and getting married one month apart. We enjoyed a newly married community group with them and watched as we each went our own separate military route after finishing college, them into the Navy and us into the Army. Our lives just kind of mirrored one another's. Adam spent a year in Iraq while Matt spent a year in Afghanistan. Coincidentally they got out of the Navy the same year we got out of the Army and we've had kids who are real close in age. We enjoyed being back in a community group together upon our move to Arkansas in 2008 and were thrilled to join the group again when we moved back from Birmingham almost a year ago!

Lindsey and Matt, Adam and I are thrilled for this opportunity y'all have been given and can't wait to see what God is going to do in this next chapter. Know that we are praying for you as often as you come to mind, which has been a LOT lately. We are praying that God would help you settle in quickly and for an immediate group of friends to begin doing life with...that makes me tear up just typing it cause I've been there and I know how important that is, and we are keeping our fingers crossed that you get to come back this way at some point in the future!! We will certainly miss our playdates, CG dinners and discussions, it will not be the same without you two! Lindsey, you are a dear friend and I'm thankful to have had all the years to deepen our friendship. (By the way, I'm gonna go ahead put this out there, I completely concur with the suggestion that you should start a blog, I'd love to be able to see your sweet face and your precious kids, throughout the weeks and months in between your visits!) You are loved dear friend, so until next time, I'll just say, "see ya later!"