Parting is such sweet sorrow...

Before we left we had a goodbye/birthday dinner for me at Aunt Carolyn and Roscoe's so we could say goodbye to Neto and Tommy. 

After dinner we went to JP Licks for dessert. I was introduced to JP Licks the summer I was 12 years old when I stayed with my Aunt and Uncle. My favorite thing to do was go to JP Licks for chocolate mint ice cream and jimmies.

It has changed quite a bit since I went there as a kid but it was still so fun to take my kids there...it brought back some great memories.

Saying goodbye was so bittersweet. I was happy to finally be done with Aric's schooling and moving on but I was so sad that it meant that I had to leave my family again. Living clear across the country from each other makes it hard to stay connected. Being able to live by each other after all these years was so great, a blessing that I am so grateful for.

Making friends was not easy in Boston but Maya found Sonija. She was an answer to my prayers! Maya and Sonija met the second day of school and they became great friends. Before we left Maya wanted to have her over for a little goodbye get together. 

Friday November ninth was the girl's last day of school. That night Aric graduated, and the next morning we headed out West. So we made sure take some pictures when we picked them up from school. This was Eden's school...

Saying goodbye to Eden's teacher, Mrs. Kearnes, made me teary. I loved her for loving my girl so much and taking good care of her. There was a little boy who was obsessed with Eden and was seriously stalking her...giving her money and gifts and making her very uncomfortable at recess. Other kids got involved because the boy would tell the other kids to pass on his messages to her. Even after the principal and counselor got involved he didn't leave her alone. Mrs. Kearnes fought for Eden and made sure that boy left her alone once and for all. She was awesome and made school a great experience for Eden.

Maya also had some great teachers too. This is Mrs. Susi, she was Maya's Language Arts teacher. She really loved Maya and went out of her way to make her feel comfortable.

This is Mrs. Foley. She was Maya's homeroom, Social Studies and Reading teacher. From day one she was so sweet to Maya, everyday complimenting her about her outfit, her hair or something else she noticed. She gave Maya an extra boost of confidence everyday, something that as a mom I cannot adequately express how much that meant to me.

Having to watch Maya say goodbye to her friends made my heart hurt...she made some very sweet friends, they really made a huge impact on Maya.

It was especially painful when I watched her give Sonija one last hug...just writing about it makes my heart remember it and it was so sad.

My dear friend Kristen made the drive out from Hull with her two sweeties Kailah and Kruz to send us off with hugs and card that I know she was inspired to give.

As much as I hate goodbyes. I need them. I need closure no matter how painful it is. I am so grateful for the special people that were placed in our lives during this crazy life detour. Saying goodbye to some of them was truly difficult because we knew we would probably never see them again but their influence in our lives during such a short time will have lasting impressions on each of us.

Saying goodbye to family is hard because now we know exactly how much we have missed over the years and living so far away means that more will be missed. Even still, as I gave my cousins one last hug, there was more joy in my heart than sadness because of the opportunity we had to reconnect.

So I will take the sorrow, and feel every heart pang that comes with parting because it meant that I got to have the sweet, sweet memories that were not just fleeting moments. Each conversation, each hug, each meal and outing...every shared sight, smell and silence has been swallowed up by my heart and has tethered me to the ones that I have been blessed to love so deeply.