it's here

Here they are...the crazy bunch of wild animals who have run amuck day after day, week after week, month after month, and yes, year after year driving us batty and bringing us more than a few laughs and heartaches. They are their own version of "Little Rascals" (obviously Zaine is aiming to be the "Alphalpha" of the bunch, and I'd have to say Ezra makes an awesome Spanky, although sometimes his 2 year old speech reminds me a bit of Buckwheat---and I say this all in love!), who would have, no doubt, grown to be "Outsiders", at least in their own minds, once they reached those adolescent years. They are the best of friends...even Zaine's eyes light up and she runs to the door when we mention Ava or Ezra. And my heart is breaking that tomorrow things will change forever.

We always thought we'd be raising our kids together here in Atlanta, but doors were flung open by God and who's to stand in His way? Nate's sister and brother-in-law are off on an amazing journey with their family, moving to the great Northwest (just 4 hours from my hometown to be exact) and there's no looking back. But my mind wont let me forget all the memories, and I keep replaying them over and over again in my head. The early years, when the four of us (and sometimes 6 of us when Nate's brother and a girlfriend were around) would be up all hours of the night playing Jenga or Balderdash or some other game that worked us into hysterics. The arrival of Ava and the vacation the 5 of us took to Miami beach. The arrival of Lux and the friendship that was forged between the two girls. The trip to the pumpkin farm that year and news that Ezra was on the way. The family vacation while I was pregnant with Zaine. Movie night in the backyard, Easter egg hunts, weekly lunch after church, the park, sleepovers, and on and on. Watching them grow closer and closer as they grow older. And wondering what might have been.

This is life, and life moves and changes and catches you off guard. There's no way to prepare for how we will feel, just how different life will be. And it wont stop coming, this day we all know exists, and I am so very happy for them and actually a bit jealous of their adventure. But Im sad. We will sorely miss our family, and terribly miss our friends.