Goodbye New Friends, Hello Old...

Six days from now we'll be shipping out of the Sunshine State on our way to the Gateway of the West. And still... it feels like a month away...

This time last year we were saying goodbye to our dear friends who we had only known for two short years. I remember how hard that was for me, because even though I knew we'd be returning, it was going to be different. I have no way of knowing what the friendships will be like that have been put on hold this past year. Their lives have been continuing on as usual, while our STL life seems like it was just put on pause and should re-start at the same place when we get back.

At least that's how I think it will be with our Seminary friends. It honestly wasn't as hard to say goodbye to my Sem friends, because I knew we were all in the same boat. I knew we'd be staying in contact with each other from our strange new worlds, and picking our lives up together right where we left off. And I'm confident in that.

This year will be just as hard to say goodbye to our new friends. Even though it's only been a year, this time around there's really no plan of returning. Sure, everyone wants us to come visit, but like leaving St. Louis, their lives will continue on as normal, we will be far away, and eventually we'll just look like a blip on the screen of their lives' history.

Sorry to sound so depressing! But that's kind of the reality of what seems like a nomadic life. I began this blog discussing how many moves I've been through (this will be my 17th in my lifetime), and how that really makes it hard to have long lasting, deeply rooted friendships. Every new place I go, I make friends with people who already have lifelong friends with people they grew up with, and I can't help but envy them. Maybe one day John and I will be in a place forever and we'll develop deep long lasting friendships :) But then I won't know what to do with myself!

John and I both will dearly miss the friends we've made here. I sincerely hope we can maintain a kind of friendship with these people. And everyone's told us, once you get the sand stuck in between your toes, it eventually leads you back...