Beach Night

Almost 8 years ago Henry and I moved to Langley AFB, VA and started our Air Force journey. We got there and were blessed to meet incredible people who are still very important to us today. We keep in touch with all of our old squadron commanders/wives, I'm still very close with a group of girls from the "old" 27th, and Henry considers several of the guys to be some of his closest friends. People often say you never forget your first assignment and I will totally agree with that. While we have loved all of them in different ways, our first F-15 assignment was special.

One of the families we met was the Echols'. Now if you are a long time blog reader this isn't news to you. In fact you know quite well how close we are and you could probably rattle off their kiddos names and spot them in pictures. We first met John and Magan when they were newly engaged and we have had the joy of experiencing so many of their firsts. One of the most special firsts we got to share was the birth of Jackson, their oldest. Magan was my first good friend to have a baby and I learned so much from her. I will never forget going to visit her in the hospital, August 26, 2005, and holding that sweet newborn. I looked at her and cried and said, "Oh my goodness, you're a mom." And to be honest, I feel head over heals for that baby that day. A year later we added Addie to the mix and she and Jackson were the fearsome twosome for six months. Then came Mattie Claire, a little girl who stole my heart and has always been such a love bug. She's the only baby that I've missed kissing right after they've come into the world since we weren't at Tyndall yet when she was born. Carter joined us a year and a half later (and MC has always adored Carter... I told you she was a love bug) and a few months after C-man we got Meggie, the sweetest miracle. You see, while I didn't give birth to all of these, just two, I consider all of them to be family. They are so special to me and they all love each other as brothers and sisters. And this is why I am having such a hard time with this move, because this will be the first time they have been separated for more than four months. And, this will be the first time they know that they are not together. Jackson, MC, and Meg are Addie and Carter's very best friends. They do not know what life is like without them down the road and it breaks my heart to see these babies separated. Yes, I knew this would eventually happen and yes, I know that we have been given the gift of time because very rarely do people get to spend 8 years together in life, much less the Air Force. But that doesn't minimize the pain of saying goodbye. We went to dinner this past Saturday and let the kids play on the beach and as far as I'm concerned it was a magical night. A picture is worth a 1000 words so here you go...