A Goodbye Party to Remember

We will no longer live in Texas in four short weeks. That is really hard to believe when I say it (or write it) out loud. I know it's coming, we've bought a house for heaven's sake, but it's really hard to believe that it is coming. The boys only have 10 days left of school! How?! How is it all happening?! I knew all year this would come and here it all is...happening. 

Luckily I have the best friends a girl could ask for and they threw us a goodbye party to remember! Even though we still have four weeks left, it was the perfect weekend to have this party because May gets REALLY crazy towards the end of the month and I wasn't super emotional thinking about how it was going to be the last time I was going to see everyone. Kristen and Abby teamed up, which is really great because they are both fabulous hosts, and gave our family a really special night that begins our end in Texas.

 These two ladies have been a major part of my life here in Texas and I don't really know that I would love Texas as much as I do without them! I am so grateful for their friendship and willingness to share so much of their love and kindness with me and my family.

So many good friends came out to show their love and wish us well with our move. Most were from church, but we had several from school and neighborhood, too-

Kristen.Penny.Me.Jamie.Stacey.Alysha.Amber

Ms. Sayegh (Liana) was so nice to come with her cute fiance! She has by far been our favorite teacher at COE and we will miss seeing her around. She is getting married to a great guy this summer and we're so grateful for her and her wonderful teaching and friendship. Thad was lucky to be in her first First Grade class!

 Ralf.Brian.John

Three of the best Rock Shelfers there ever were!

This was the first time we had seen Ralf since Liz's memorial and it was so great to give him a big hug and get caught up with him and his amazing family. We sure love the Pattersons.

Olivia.Wes

Jamie told me that on the way over Olivia started crying because she didn't realize Wesley was moving...poor girl! She and Wes are both high energy, smart and fun and we have been so lucky to have her (and her mom and little bro Max) in our circle at church, preschool and COE.

Dax.Crockett.Thad.Houston

These cute boys ran around most of the night together and I couldn't have hoped for anything better!

The Hatches and The Monsens

We have gotten to be such good friends with the Hatches over the past 2 years and I just wish it would have been sooner! Chris and Audrey are so generous and kind and have some awesome kids to boot! Luckily we will be friends forever and see them not just in Utah or Texas when we visit, but hopefully a vacation to Disneyland and/or Chicago will happen in our future.

Crockett and Thad

Crockett and his mom, Helen, have been so much fun to get to know through clubs at COE over the past four years! Helen was in charge of Math Pentathlon Thad's Kindergarten year and started Science Society at COE, was the Destination Imagination coach for Thad's team this year and has just been such an awesome advocate for STEM at COE. I am so grateful I have gotten to rub shoulders with her, Crockett and her sweet mom, Ms. Judy. We will miss them!

Ms. Judy.Helen.Me

John and Sevi

Two of our very favorite people.

Michael was sweet to come to our party even though he had knee surgery on Tuesday! He didn't stay the whole time, but it meant a lot that he made his first outing for us. We heart the Dukes!

Anna created the CUTEST table for our farewell gift to be signed at. I am so grateful they thought of something for us to take with us to remember our time in Texas and this awesome party forever.

Here are my cute neighbors sitting together and sweet Jocelyn (our Relief Society President) getting to know them. She has been such a great example to me of leadership and love.

Chatting with the Ausmans

Best of friends!

My heart aches when I think about these girls not growing up together, but I just have to remember how happy I am that they have had each other the past 3 years and that our friendship with the Cochran's will last forever.

Lauren.Hannah.Roxanne.Eve.Sevi

The love Eve has for Kristen and Kristen for Eve shines through perfectly in this picture! Kristen has always loved my little girl and Eve gets so excited to see her and be with her. I love their little relationship so much!

And the Duke boys.

We sure love them too! They have been shining examples of all the good things to my boys over the past 5 years. They have grown up so much since we moved here and my only hope is that my boys follow in their footsteps. Greatness breeds greatness, the Dukes are proof!

Brady.Michael.Jason

 Cute mamas, Becky and Shelly hanging with their cuties by the swings.

Not sure what is happening here, but I love Eve's animation while talking to Ms. Abby.

Of course Audrey is the best and brought her Star Wars bubble machine and it was huge hit! She knows how to make anything more fun!

 Eve and her have a pretty special relationship too and I love it!

 Alisha.Me.Anna

I have so many awesome friends that start with the letter 'A' and these two beauties are two of those amazing gals! Alisha and I have never been in the same ward, but luckily she and Kristen have always stayed good friends and then Wes and Coco have done lots of preschool and soccer together so that solidified our friendship long ago. She has five darling children and I'll miss her tons! Anna has lived 3 houses down the past few years and we will deeply miss having her, Dax and Mila so close. She has been such an amazing example of hard work and dedication to her home and family while being a single mom. She is another forever friend I am so grateful to have.

Eve got hurt several times throughout the night, but loves from mom (and sympathy from MaryAnn) seemed to do the trick.

Me.Shelly.Brian.Nick.Jim.Shauri.Ian

Nick and Brian team teach seminary and he and Shelly have been such fun friends to have while we've lived her. Shelly served as the Primary president for a long time and Nick in scouts so we have loved rubbing shoulders with them and their cute kids. Jim and Shauri are one of a kind and we love them and their fun kids, too! Jim is not a member, but he supports and loves his family and all of us ward members without hesitation. I visit taught Shauri with Katie for a few years and then Shauri and I served in the Relief Society presidency together and I will forever love and admire her for her dedication and love for the gospel and her "out of the ordinary" family. I love that she shows we all fit in no matter what our family circumstances are.  

Nick.Jim.Bishop Bjarnason

Good guys surrounding the good food!

All the love for this wonderful lady.

Lots of people came that were not pictured and we are so grateful for their love and support of our family, we love them all so much. Leaving Texas wouldn't be so hard if it wasn't for all the people. I love the weather and our neighborhood and being a Texan, but none of that would matter if the people were terrible. And they're definitely not. I love all these people!

Big changes are coming our way and I'm so grateful to Kristen and Abby for beginning our end here in Texas with a bang!
~TEXAS FOREVER~