Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Saying Goodbye

I am learning that saying goodbye is just a part of life here in DuPont, Washington.
Goodbyes in general do not make me happy.
Unless, I'm saying goodbye to something that I'm not so found of. For example, I didn't mind saying goodbye to diapers with baby boy number one. I won't mind saying goodbye again to the paci for baby boy number two. I certainly never miss saying goodbye to allergy season. And I absolutely love getting to say goodbye to pounds on the scale or zits on the face. I think you get the picture. However, those aren't the kinds of goodbyes that I am having to learn to deal with.

Nope, unfortunately it is the people goodbyes that seem to be around every corner for us.
In fact this past Saturday we had a little goodbye meeting with some of our sweet neighbor friends.
The Quinbys

Rip, Audrey and Baby Adelle are moving to Arizona this week and we certainly are going to miss them. Why are they moving? Well, it's a military thing! And there is a lot of that around here. And thus the biggest reason I will have to get used to saying goodbye. Unfortunately I'm going to have to get my little fellas used to it as well.

Just look at some of their friends that the military will soon take away from us...

Sweet Michael and his Mom Tasha are just waiting for Daddy to come home from his assignment and they are off to the east coast in just a couple of months.


Aaron will be packing up with his Mom, Dad, and little sibling in the making to move to a new place where his military doctor daddy will continue his studies.


Sweet Brooke along with her sweet sister...

Raelyn and their brand new little sister Natalie will also be leaving us within the next few months. Seriously, we play with Brooke, Realyn, and Natalie every week.

And then there are our best neighbor buddies...

Will and Carson on the right. We don't know yet when they are leaving...in fact they may be here for another three and a half years....but it is inevitable, the military will take them away from us to.
See, I've got to beg God to give me wisdom to know how to prepare my boys for saying goodbye to their friends.
Gee, I've got to beg God to give me wisdom to know how to say goodbye myself. Because you know what...all of those kiddos have Mommas that are my friends...and those kiddos are taking their mommas with them. Boo Hoo!!

I told you last week that we were saying goodbye to our friend Jeannette and directed you to Alissa's blog to read about our "Jeannette Day". Here is one of the pictures from that day:

Jeannette is on the left of me and I am preparing to tell her goodbye this next week as she will be moving to California to be closer to her family. Can't even begin to think about how much we will miss her. She and I get together often to hold each other accountable to living the life Christ has called us to. We have dinner together, play cards together, Bible study together. She has become a huge part of Life Church and our work here in DuPont. I am so sad to see her go, but I am super excited that she is getting to be with her family and I look forward to seeing what God is going to do with her there to bless them.
Now, looking to the right of me are two more very dear friends. First there is Dawn, Aaron's mom, who will be leaving with her husband Chuck and their bun in the oven to have a new doctoring adventure for military doc Chuck. And then Amanda...Mommy to the three precious girls I mentioned above....who will be leaving with her husband Dan in the fall to wherever the military sends them next. I'm trying not to think too much about Dawn and Amanda leaving yet, because we still have a few months with them.

So, what does a girl do when she has to keep saying goodbye to people like dear Jeannette...

who have become a big part of my life? Remember only a year and a half ago, I had to say goodbye to everyone who was a part of life I as knew it (except my precious husband and son), to move across the country and start over. I guess that was just prepping me for more of what was to come.
I guess with practice maybe it will get easier????
We already said goodbye to our sweet friend Susie a couple of weeks ago...

She headed to Arizona to work for Young Life. We miss her but she is doing great. Her family lives here in DuPont so we do have hope of getting to see her from time to time. But for those with no ties left in DuPont, except for the Lewallen's, we can't hold out hope of seeing them again in person this side of heaven.
I am starting to learn some big lessons on saying goodbye.
#1 Facebook is a huge blessing in the world of technology and I can depend on it to keep me updated on my friends who move away.
#2 I have to remember that God has good plans in store for my friends and I certainly wouldn't want them to miss out on God's blessings just to stick around here and keep me happy.
#3 Goodbyes are just a part of life...some of us have more of them than others...that's just the way it is.
So what am I going to do???
Well, I'm going to beg God to bless my friends in the new places that He takes them and I'm going to ask Him to allow me to keep my heart open for new friends so that I won't shut down the friendship train for dread of having to say goodbye.
I've got so much still to learn about saying goodbye graciously.
Until I get it down....

I'll just put on my best big girl smile and be sure to sport the sunglasses to hide the tears I can't manage to keep inside.
I still cry over friends I had to tell goodbye a year and a half ago. I miss them to this day...maybe it never will get easier. I'm okay with that.

Thank you Jesus for giving me friends that aren't easy to say goodbye to!


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I understand completely!! I guess you will just have to get good at staying in touch with everyone! At least we still have heaven right?

Lynlee said...

If anyone knows how you feel, it's me. My life is made of up season's of goodbyes. It never get's easier. Just one thing I always notice, God always has a way of filling those voids left behind. I am glad I found you too. I love you.

The Nelson Family said...

I'm so sorry all your friends are moving away! That does seem like an excessive amount of moving. Can't they stick around at all? I'm glad God has blessed you with so many friends though and so many buddies for your little guys. At least you get to have lots of going away parties though. :)

Derek and Alissa said...

I join you in all the sad goodbye's that are coming our way. Maybe it will help you feel better, maybe it won't, but you won't be getting any goodbyes from this girl! =) Love you!

Carozza Family said...

Terry,
You are beautiful inside and out! I couldn't ask for a more sweeter and caring friend. I am so ready to visit you to say "Hello"!!!!!! Don't know if you noticed or not in our blog pictures but the Carozza's have a refrigerator covered with your family photos you send us (look at easter decorating cookie pictures). I look at them everyday.
Love you my sweet friend and praying for you.
Ash