Friends = family you get to choose.

On Saturday our wonderful friends Howard and Sandi Collins said goodbye to California and started on the road for their new home in South Dakota.  Their home here sat on the market for quite a while, but things moved VERY quickly once it sold, and all of a sudden we were bidding farewell to friends we've known for 17 years so far.  Jason has reminded all of us:  it's not goodbye, it's "see you later," and I've held on to that wisdom when I start feeling down about the change.

Howard and Sandi are adopted family.  Before they left I made copies for them of all the pictures I could find on my computer of them with us and our kids.  There were over 80 photos that together told a marvelous story of a couple who embraced our kids and supported their achievements, milestones, activities, recitals, and birthdays.  We celebrated holidays together, had barbecues and swim parties.  Howard and Sandi came to stay with us when we were living on the East Coast.  They gave Wade a steady, weekly job for almost two years.  We could be ourselves and talk freely with them.

I hope they know how much we love them and appreciate them!  Their friendship and kindness has filled a major void for us, living so far away from other family members--we are so grateful for them!

We love you, Howard and Sandi!

October 2005

October 2005

Farewell dinner at Bernardino's, April 2017