Saying Good-bye Is Hard

Today we had to say good-bye to The Carlin's.
Even as I write this I'm wiping away tears.

We met them when Landon was just 8 months old.
I went for a walk with Landon in his stroller in the neighborhood.

I spotted them ahead of me on the street and noticed they had a stroller too with a blue blanket on it. (and 3 dogs, like us!) So, I pratically ran to catch up with them and asked if they had a little boy too.

When we found out Wade was just 1 month and a few days older than Landon we started our playdates together.

Sure, initially they were more for us. But as the years went by the boys developed a very special friendship...their first Best Friend.

We have hit so many milestones together. From introducing baby food together...I remember making extra for Traci and dropping it off on my way to work. We had

Gymboree classes together, Music classes, trips to The Polar Express together, and most recently they were on the same Soccer team.

Heck! We even potty-trained the boys the same weekend! (yes, we did it in one weekend. No one believes us, but we DID!)

Traci's husband works for a dental company and got a job opportunity that he could not pass up....IN MAINE.

The boys last playdate in the big empty house was perhaps the most fun for them.

Playing in boxes, jumping on baby mattresses and playing with the Spiderman helicopter that we bought for each of them.

I guess you could say little girls have friendship necklaces...little boys have friendship helicopters!

So, it's with heavy hearts that we hugged and promised to see each other soon and begin praying for them even sooner.

I have no doubt we'll pay a visit to them to check out the East Coast. And until then, we hope to get the boys on Skype to talk to each other on the computer.

Times certainly change...but the bonds of true friendship certainly do not.