Saying Goodbye

Change is bittersweet.  Being an Army Family, change is part of our lives.  Changes can be hard, exciting, and bittersweet.  Gracie experienced something for the first time that is actually one of the hardest things I have to deal with being an Army spouse.  Saying goodbye to friends that we have made a part of our lives.  Some of them we consider family. Over the last 10 years I have said goodbye to many and see you later to some.  Luckily, I still keep in contact with a few on a regular basis.  Gracie, however, is too young to realize the impact of this sad aspect of being a military family.  This week she said bye to her friend Natalia.  Over the last couple of years, we have had numerous play dates with Natalia and Araceli.  On Tuesday, we had our last one.  It was Natalia’s 4th birthday so we headed to Peter Piper Pizza (think Chuck-E-Cheese).  The girls had a good time.  Wait, I am sorry, they had a blast.  They were completely and blissfully oblivious to the fact that they probably wouldn’t ever see each other again and even if they did, it is unlikely they would remember each other.  Nonetheless, they played for 3 hours!!!!!  Finally, we got them ice cream, gave goodbye hugs, and off they went.  Gracie’s first outside of school friend, off to spend time with her Grandma and her daddy for the next year while Celi goes off to Korea.  It makes me tear up knowing that this is the first in a long line of friends that Gracie will have to say goodbye too.  As I said, it is bittersweet.  Gracie will be able to meet so many people through the rest of Matt’s career, it’s just the said truth that she will also have to say goodbye or hopefully, just a see you later.  But anyway, on to the pictures.  One thing I will never forget is what they call each other….Talu and Crazy…you gotta love the way 3/4 year olds talk!