Saying GOODBYE

This past Saturday (after surviving our first sleepover as the parents) our sweet friends from church threw us a going away potluck at the park. It was a beautiful evening of eating and playing and saying "thanks for being my friend". And of course (the dreaded) GOODBYE. Honestly it felt very deja vu-ish as it seems like our Wisconsin friends just threw us a going away party before we moved here! But it really has been (almost) 3 years!

I joked at the party a few times how I didn't realize I had so many friends until it was time to leave:) But all jokes aside, I try to live by the motto "BLOOM WHERE PLANTED" as we live this nomad life of ours. (It is motto I first read during our first year of marriage. I instantly liked it, but never imagined it would become a way of life for me!) And honestly, when we first moved to Illinois it did not feel like a place I could (or would) bloom. It felt all wrong to me. But thanks much in part to these sweet friend (and more who are not pictured...you know who you are) I did bloom as a wife to a medical student, as a stay-at-home mom to three young children and as a person in general. Thank you friends. I couldn't have survived these CRAZY past three years without you and your support.

Charlotte was miserable with seasonal allergies. The other two just wanted to eat:)

(I apologize, if in person I do not seem as sad or sincere with my goodbye. I am exhausted these days, which has left me with a pretty flat affect, but know that I truly am sad to leave all of you.)

running with suckers. what could be more fun?

 

And thank you friends for making us feel so LOVED in our final days* here in Illinois. We will miss each and everyone of of you (and your amazing, fun kids)!

Speaking of final days, today with less than 72 hours of living in this state and in this town left, I discovered a thrift store a mile from our house!!! How did it take me this long to discover it!? If I hadn't been so happy to find it I would have been down right mad. I love a good secondhand store.

And yes I bought the jeggings. For $6. Made my day. That and Harry, the-moving-truck-man, telling me that they found our moving truck. The truck that I am going to pick up tomorrow that was MIA until about 2 o'clock this afternoon. That too felt deja vu-ish. Since I am already rambling too much, suffice it to say we do not have good luck with acquiring moving trucks despite making proper reservations well in advance! But Harry promises my truck will be there at noon tomorrow. We shall see...



*The thought did cross my mind today that in a year we could be moving BACK to Illinois if Joe matches (into residency) in Illinois. Which would make this entire moving process feel like a big ole waste of time, money and A LOT of people's energy! As much as I would love to be back with all of you friends, the thought of coming back in a (short) year makes me want to cry....but a lot of things make me want to cry these days....so don't take it personally.