See you soon sweet Virginia

Whew! Saying goodbye is never easy, saying goodbye to the community we have here is next to impossible. With the busy schedules we've had the last few months and the hectic chaos of the last few weeks, there hasn't been much time for emotion, well maybe a few moments here and there. But now, it is imminent.

Jaret and I moved here almost 7 years ago, not yet married. After living here for 2 years, we moved into our "home." Here we became husband and wife and welcomed our 2 beautiful children into our family. Along this road though, something greater happened. We found a community of friends that we have come to love and rely on.

It all started on S. RidgelEy. Just a few short weeks after moving into our house, Jaret deployed for 6 months. I knew NO ONE. Little did I know we had just moved on to the best street in all of Norfolk. Donovan's, you watched over me, gave me your phone numbers and told me to keep them by my bed for when I got scared in the middle of the night. At Christmas, I was invited to my first Stewart Christmas party where I really got to know all of you. As I shared this with Jaret, he was shocked. We'd not experienced such a welcome here in Hampton Roads before. Still not knowing how much we'd come to love and connect with you, life went on.

Around Easter, Jaret still deployed, I came to Tab Church. Once he returned, we started to attend regularly, along with BILD sessions on Wednesday nights. Here's where our life in Norfolk changed forever. We soon found out that we were expecting our first child, soon to be followed by the threat of miscarriage. That night was my Ladies Bible Study, a Beth Moore study. I shared my fear and threatened miscarriage with the ladies in my prayer group, led by Diane Seltzer. They listened and prayed for me. What really struck me was having Linda Crabtree, a woman who I lovingly admire, have the women who experienced miscarriage and any others who felt led to come lay hands on me and lift up me, Jaret and our baby in prayer for healing and healthy pregnancy. What a difference it made. But the bigger movement of prayer happened 29 weeks later when Jonas arrived at 33 weeks and was taken to Virginia Beach General's NICU to stay with his angels there. The prayers that were sent up on our behalf from not only our neighbors, our church and our family and friends, but how that circle radiated times 10 to people who didn't even know us, were answered in a mighty way and our son made only steps forward, not back. During this time, we were brought meals by neighbors and the church family. The Davis girls announced his birth and homecoming with colorful messages drawn across our driveway. Our neighborhood welcomed him with a baby shower. Every family had a hand in helping us figure out what to do with this new life we'd been given. Miki, Theresa and Nancy~you were there to give me advice, support and rest during my early days of motherhood. In fact, Davis Family, you kept Jonas so much for us, he really grew up with your family as well as ours.

During this big moment in our life we became involved with 2 other groups/friends. First was the Barnes Family. Another Marine Corps family, which around here is hard to come by. The friendship that was forged between Robin and I was one of mutual understanding and common interests. The more we got to know one another, the closer we became and would soon end up sharing big parts of our lives with each other. We also got involved in our first CARE group led by Alan and Kim Wilson. We learned so much from our time with their group, especially about what it means to be a part of a community. Sadly they didn't live on S. Ridgeley (the best street in Norfolk) and moved out of Norfolk. And we were picked up by Mike and Chris Milligan's CARE group.

It wasn't long before we were expecting Caleigh and again our place in this community was strengthened. Early in the pregnancy I became friends with Karen LaBeff. Though her daughter Zoe, and Jonas had been in the nursery together, we hadn't yet gotten to know each other until now. Karen, too, became pregnant, as did my friend Robin that I previously mentioned. Karen and I would now have 2 children, both very close in age, Jonas and Zoe are only 9 days apart. It was still early in our friendship, but what started with simple conversation has blossomed into a friendship between families, one that doesn't even seem like friendship, but rather the relationship of a family itself. During this pregnancy, I also met a kindered spirit, Kara Neall. God surely strategically placed these 3 women in my lfie at the right time. In the coming months, they would come and care for me and Jonas, visit with me and bring me treats while I was confined to bed rest. Our friends in the Milligan's CARE group got together and prepared us over 20 meals to stock our freezer to help Jaret during my down time and for after Caleigh arrived. It was because of this community that bedrest was bearable for our entire family.

As we prepared for an "on time" arrival of our baby girl, we enlisted the help of a gentle woman, Theresa Bryant to be my side at the birth. Thoguh she tells me I didn't use a "birthing method" because Caleigh just about fell out, she was a big part of my success at natural/unmedicated birth. She saw me through my greatest pain, quickly followed by the best reward, my healthy, term baby girl and she covered us in prayer soon after. Again, our wonderful neighbors welcomed our newest addition with chalk drawn messages and a baby shower on Mother's Day~what a gift.

Most of you know that after having Jonas I finally heard the calling of my life~to work with preterm babies. When Caleigh was 4 months old, I went back to school to become a nursing care partner, which I couldn't have done with Kara and her willingness to care for my 2 babies. I was soon blessed with a job at Norfolk General Special Care Nursery. In my second day there I was confronted with a situation similiar to Jonas' and was given the opportunity to do what I set out to, and would continually get to do so over the next year and a half~to show love, understanding of where they are and how hard this journey is and allowing them to share emotions with me and relate to parents. Not only did I get to fulfill my purpose in life, I was introduced to some amazing co-workers, who I leave as great friends. I've learned so much from all of you, you've given me such encouragement on my journey and you've been a friend that has enriched my life in so many ways.

You all have celebrated our children's birth, subsequent birthdays with us, shared holidays together and enjoyed each other. Now the dreaded time has come to say goodbye...or see you later. There have been many times since recieving our orders that I have thought about this moment and how I wished it wouldn't happen. But I know that God has a plan for us in Kansas, and that the bonds we have built here will cross the state lines with us. You, each of you, have become a significant part of our lives. We are thankful to have been built into such a strong community. We leave a piece of us here with you and look forward to returning here when all is said and done (and hopefully a time or two in between).

Though the past months, I've cried many of Sunday mornings, worshiping with all my friends at Tab, these last few months have been beyond crazy between the consignment sale, trips out of town and the ever stressful anatomy and physiology, it wasn't until about mid-April that while having a conversation about saying goodbye at work that it hit me right between the eyes--literally. I'm leaving so much that I love, all that I am comfortable with. I've gotten to know so many of you intimately well, so many I've admired your faith from a distance and there's many of you I wish I'd had more of an opportunity to learn about. But each one of you who may be reading this has made an impression on my heart. One that I don't take lightly and that cannot be erased. Our roots in this place we call our "home" run very deep because of you and we already long to be back here in sweet Virginia.

I pray that our paths may cross again soon. I plan to regularly use this blog so that I can keep you filled in on the adventure we're about to begin. This book isn't closing, it's just the beginning of a new chapter.

"May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other." Genesis 31:49 Today's New International Version