Come back soon, Buddy and Carol!

This past weekend was such a great weekend with my family, but so sad at the same time. My brother has gotten orders to transfer to Ft. Lewis, Washington (just outside of Seattle), and it is absolutely breaking my heart. So not only is he moving across the country, he is also (obviously) taking his sweet wife, and three precious children. I know that we have been so incredibly fortunate to have him so close for so long, serving two consecutive assignments at "home" in Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, but it doesn't make it any easier to watch them move so far away. And I know we are also very fortunate that this is just a move across the country, rather than another deployment looming over us. But again...it definitely doesn't make it any easier to watch them leave.

Again, I am so very thankful that I have been able to spend so much time with them, and watch every one of their babies grow up from the time they were born. They have been such a HUGE part of my life since they were conceived, and I am so blessed to have so many memories with them. But, this is absolutely breaking my heart to watch them go.

But back to our weekend with the family...we watched some football (Roll Tide!), enjoy some wonderful food, played with some cute babies,

played with some fun iPhone apps,

and enjoyed a beautiful double rainbow after a rain shower!

On Sunday, we went to church together as a family, and this is when the waterworks started for me that day. As if it wasn't bad emotionally hard enough that we were acknowledging September 11 and the grief and horror that so many Americans experienced, they also recognized my brother and his family and spoke of them leaving. It took all I could do to control my breathing and not break out into the ugly cry in the middle of church.

But on a happier note, Sarah-Grace and Israel participated in the service that day as an acolyte and the cross-bearer. They did such a great job!

That evening, we returned to church for a surprise farewell luau for Buddy, Carol, and the children. They did such a great job, and we were amazed that they were able to keep this entire thing under wraps!

Not only did we have wonderful food (can't beat a church pot luck!), but we also had lots of entertainment as well. After dinner, they sent us on an emotional roller coaster with skits, dances, and some very kind words for my brother and his family.

They kicked things off with a very cute rendition of "So Long, Farewell" from The Sound of Music.

After that, they had a special routine for every member of their family. They started with a song just for Jonathan. I can't remember what the name of the song was, but he LOVED it, and couldn't wait to get up there with them and dance his little heart out!

Next was Sarah-Grace, and this started the waterworks for me once again. They played Taylor Swift's "Never Grow Up," and all of her little friends did a dance.

They all had on pink headbands with a flower, and at the beginning of the song, they stopped by Sarah-Grace's seat, and put one on her head too. And like her baby brother, she couldn't wait to get on the stage with her friends as well.

Then it was Israel's turn. The boys did "I'm in the Lord's Army" and they were so cute!

After that, they played a slide show of Buddy, featuring his military career and his family. It was put to "God Bless the USA," and I don't think there was a single dry eye in the entire building. Oh goodness. I just couldn't hold myself together.

Then it was Carol's turn. They mentioned that even though she was far away from her home, that hopefully they made her feel very much at home here, and they had a surprise for her. Out came the men of the church, wearing grass skirts, and doing a choreographed hula dance. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard in my life!

They invited her on stage and ask her to show them how it was done. Girl's got some moves that we had never seen before! We were impressed!

They ended the evening with one more routine from the children- "Happy Trails To You,"

and the girls finished with Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York," but with some different lyrics that more appropriately fit the military moving them across the country.

A few last sweet remarks were made, and they invited Carol up to the stage for one last song with the praise band. Cue waterworks...again.

And of course the evening concluded with lots of hugs, and many more tears. I had a crying headache still on Monday when I got to work.

This goes without saying, but there is going to be a BIG hole left in our hearts with them so far away, and we very much look forward to seeing them at Christmas. They left on Tuesday morning with a long, long drive ahead of them. Sarah-Grace and Israel are staying with my mom for the rest of the month, so their school doesn't get disrupted with the move, and I am flying out to Seattle with them to take them to their parents once they are settled in a couple of weeks. Again, I am very, very thankful to have that time with them, and very much look forward to getting to see where they are going to be living, but it is absolutely tearing me apart.

We are praying for safe travels, and for easy transition for them and the children. Buddy, Carol, Israel, Sarah-Grace, and Jonathan...we love you so very much, and will miss you tremendously!