Goodbye to a Dear Friend

On Tuesday night, I stayed up gabbing and laughing with my two girlfriends Casey and Erin until nearly 11pm. With Casey's kids in bed and Erin's and mine at home with our husbands, it was the perfect girl time. Just talking about everything, from the serious the the hilarious, while chowing down on ice cream and brownies. It reminded me of my high school or college days, when my girlfriends and I would stay up into the wee hours of the night just talking and laughing about life.

Then we said our tearful goodbyes.

Today a moving truck is packing up all of Casey's stuff to move her and her family across the country to San Francisco. I have been dreading this day for a long, long time and always kept praying it wouldn't come. But the jobs for her husband didn't show up anywhere else, and it finally became clear that God wanted them to pack up and move. So off they go. Casey's husband, Jason, has been in California since the beginning of January, and I know it has been terribly hard for them to be apart. Not to mention that Casey has been taking care of their two kids on her own for two months now. I can't imagine how exhausting that must be.

I am going to miss Casey terribly. She is one of my best friends. Very few North Carolina friends have known me longer than her. She's been my friend through dating too many guys, my anxiety disorder, finally finding Dave, engagement, prepping a wedding, being a newlywed, getting pregnant, having my first baby, postpartum depression, raising a toddler, and now my second pregnancy. She's been involved in it all. Our kids are best friends, as much as toddlers can be best friends, and we've had frequent play dates since they were itty babies. She's one of the most dependable, honest, and unselfish people I know. I can't even count the number of ways she's shown her love and support as a friend throughout the years. Having her gone is going to be hard - I know there's going to be a hole, and that I'm going to feel it most on my Fridays off work when I typically head to her house for a few hours.

BUT I know that God has great plans for her family. And I know that this is not about our friendship or about me. This is about Casey and her husband, what God wants to do with their life, and where He wants to take them. He has a purpose through it all. I pray that they can see that purpose and that they find themselves among a loving community in San Francisco. I pray that they feel at home and don't feel too disconnected from their friends and family on the other side of the country. We all need to remember that they are just a phone call, text, or plane ride away. And I also may selfishly pray that He brings them back this way eventually. I'm allowed to pray for that, right?

So funny that despite being best friends, we have like two pictures together. All of the pictures are of our kids. :)


At my baby shower, January 2010.


Adi and Krew, Summer 2010


At the hospital May 2011, when her son Ronan was born.

Adi and Krew, Summer 2011



Winter 2011-2012



Last Friday, Adi and Krew's last time hanging out before the big move.


Casey, girl, I am going to miss you SO MUCH. I am so so grateful that we are excellent texter friends and that I know I'll be hearing from you multiple times weekly and we'll be having our usual 20-page long text conversations. :) I am so excited to come see you in San Francisco. And I am so looking forward to you visiting after my baby is born.  I know this is not the end, just a new way for our friendship to continue and grow.  LOVE YOU GIRL. :)