Onward To North Dakota!!

Today is Super Bowl Sunday.  Usually a huge event at our home, but today I'm watching it alone.  This is not a "woe is me" comment, it is a "Wow how fast life changes" comment.  I'm totally fine with being alone,  I actually enjoy it.  Yes I would hate to do it full time, but tonight I'm totally OK.  The only reason I mention it is that it made me realize how quickly stages in our life pass.  We almost always have a crowd for the game, with lots of food, laughter, conversing and a little game watching.  Today Amy, Luke and family, Jessi and Kevin are all watching the game at their friends homes.  Ben and Carrie are in Oklahoma and I have no idea if they're watching the game, and Jeff and Ty, Carly and family are driving to North Dakota.  They are moving there!!  Jeff is driving their U-Haul while Ty and Carly are following an hour behind in their car.  Having them leave has made for a very melancholy day.  That is now a "woe is me" comment.  After we said our good byes this afternoon I mentioned to Jeff that I feel a little like sending a missionary off.  I know it is the very best place for them to be.  It will be so great for them and their little family, but how hard it is for those of us left behind.  They will have an incredible experience as they go forward in this new adventure.  The friends that they will make will become like family.  The growth from facing new and difficult things together will be tremendous.  The opportunities that await them in business, in church work and in the community will enrich their lives forever.  How much they will all be missed here.  The four of them all have such fun vibrant personalities.  Our now small family get togethers will be lacking something without them.  Thank heavens for Telephones, FaceTime, Blogs and Airplanes.  Our time together in the future can be more one on one and precious.  It will be great thing, it just takes some time to get used to it.

                                               Here they are, all packed up and ready to roll