Frienamly

Here in Illinois for so many year we have not had any family that lived close.  Our closest family has lived about 2000 miles from us.  When that is the case then you have to find family among the friends that you make.  Lucky for us our area is full of transplant people that are looking for exactly the same thing that we are.  We found this friend-family shortly after we moved here in 2006.  The Keech family moved here in January of 2007 and from that first Sunday in church we've been IBF's (Illinois Best Friends) since.  When Kim and Bryan moved here she was about ready to pop with her 4th baby.  I introduced myself to her at church and this was a huge deal because I NEVER  had introduced myself to anyone new at church before but something in my brain just told me to do it and I did.  I think that was the Spirit telling me to go make a friend for goodness sake because I had been having a hard time adjusting to the new area.

Their family was from Arizona and they too had left all their loved ones in Arizona and Utah and were in the same boat we were...no friends, no family!  Kim and I hit it off right away going to playgroup together, and we were determined that our hubby's should be friends too.  As luck would have it they had a lot in common, movies, computers, TV, and their love for BBQ'd food.  We were also lucky because our kids were roughly the same ages (a couple years off here and there) and got along great.  Her oldest was the only boy K invited to her 8th birthday party, and C was set to marry her oldest daughter until they tragically broke up at age 6 (sometimes these things just don't last!).

It's funny the traditions that you can start with these friend-families that you don't even realize that you have started.  For instance trick-or-treating together, Easter BBQ dinner together, Thanksgiving day, or Black Friday Shopping, 4th of July Fireworks in the backyard, or Super Bowl Sunday to eat food and watch the game/commercials!

Well next week our IBF's are moving back to Arizona and people have been asking me if I'm going to be ok.  Yes, I'm going to be ok because if I've learned anything from living here for 7 years is that this place is transient!  People come and go OFTEN!  I've had lots of friends move out and back in and back out again, but none have been as close as the Keech family, and for some reason today it is hitting me hard.

I'm going to miss all those traditions although I think Heavenly Father last year was preparing us for this somehow because a few of those traditions were interrupted by one thing or another.  I'm going to miss girls nights out, and playgroup Wednesday's, Diet Dr. Pepper's and lunch's at the McDonald's playland.  I'm going to miss swapping babysitting for date night (or date lunch), I'm gonna miss watching her kids grow, and helping with projects like new brakes on cars or finishing basements.  I'm gonna miss double dates and shopping at Barnes and Noble to see who can find the goofiest titles.  I'm gonna miss sewing and crafting together, and being able to vent about our actual family face to face.  I'm gonna miss a lot but I know that this is going to be so good for them and their extended family, and I am so happy that things are working out for them.

I also know that living in a transplant area and being one of the few long term (for life really) families will come with it's sadness about friends leaving and that's ok too.  We have a great thing called Facebook now and e-mail and we are always just a phone call away.

I will be ok because I have a lot of great friends here and now some family and I also am surrounded by a great immediate family that keeps me on my toes.  

So good luck Keech family!  Who know's maybe someday C and AM can patch things up and we can be ACTUAL family! ;)

Just a few Keech/Clark photos for your enjoyment!



































We love and will miss you guys!