Saying Goodbye

It was so hard to say goodbye to all the people in VA that had become our family for the past three years. I felt like it was even harder then saying good bye to our families when we left UT because we don’t know when we will ever see the friends we made in VA again.

My co-workers at Merrimack Elementary took me and Kate out to Olive Garden for lunch to say good bye. They were known as my “Merrimack Family”. They were so kind to me and sometimes when I had to stay late and arrive early I felt like I lived at the school :) They really were so good to me and I was so thankful for their kindness! I got to work with some amazing teachers!

It was really hard to say my final good-byes to my Young Women and the other leaders. I gave the lesson that Sunday and gave the girls a frame that was three 5X7’s put together. Each opening had a section of the words to one of my favorite songs and a picture of the YW that I gave it to.

On this one I had a picture of the YW in her blessing dress

On this one I had a picture of her at her baptism

On this one I had the YW tell me her favorite Temple or the Temple she wanted to get married in (this is the DC Temple).

At the end of my lesson I played the song for them and bore my testimony. These YW are so STRONG and so GOOD! I miss them SO much!

Not all of my YW were there, but this is most of them :) We had two families move that had two YW each, so we were missing those four and then one girl that isn’t active and one that wasn’t there that Sunday. They all adored Kate and she adored them! The YW were so sweet and had a surprise goodbye party for me later that night. I don't have any pictures (I didn't have my camera because it was a surprise :))

Here’s the girls and the all the leaders except for Heather (one of my best friends, next door neighbor, and my 1st counselor :))

Heather & her little family (her husband Dustin & their daughter Esme) were vising family when we left so we said our good-byes before they left.

We were SO sad to leave Heather & her little family! I have been blessed my whole life to have best friends so close - I got to share a room with one of my best friends growing up & had best friends within walking distance & then get to be room-room mates with some of my best friends and have awesome roomies that became some of my best friends but I never thought after I got married (other than Tim of course) I’d get to have such an awesome friend right next door! Heather’s husband was in Law School with Tim and we rented two houses next door to each other. It was the best! Heather is so kind & was such a good example to me! When I was sick instead of saying “let me know if you need anything” she’d bring me a box of tissues and cold medicine and some soup. We had a key to their house and when we needed to borrow a cup of sugar or anything else & they weren’t home they’d just say to go right in a get it. I know all of you reading this would do the same. I have been blessed with the most amazing friends and family!

Speaking of amazing family, my dad and Tim’s sister Michelle came out to help us finish packing and to help load the moving truck. Michelle drove our KIA from VA to UT with Tim and my dad flew back with me and Kate so I didn’t have to try and do it all alone. They were a HUGE help and we felt SO blessed to have such kindness shown to us.

There was a ferry from Jamestown to Surry and we rode it with my dad one last time

We had the house all packed up and were headed out for one last walk around Colonial Williamsburg.