a happy middle

There are no happy endings.
Endings are the saddest part,
So just give me a happy middle
And a very happy start.

                                     -- Shel Silverstein

 {Some -- but not ALL -- of the friends that I'm going to miss so much when we move!}

So, our countdown is rapidly counting down.  I keep thinking we still have plenty of time left until we move {because we're not leaving until the end of the month} but reality caught up with me today when I realized there are only 2 1/2 more weeks until we roll.  And with the ending in sight, it is indeed the saddest part.  :(

Last night, some good friends of ours threw a going away party for us and a couple of other families who are all moving this month.  It was a perfect evening at the park, filled with lots of food, friends, and laughter and it made me realize {once again} how much we are going to miss it here when we go. 


The kids were so buy running around with their friends and I was so busy chatting with my friends, that I didn't get around to taking as many pictures as I wanted.  {It's really too bad I don't have a personal photographer following my family around to provide the pictures for this blog.  Hahaha.}  I did manage to snap a FEW gems before the evening was over.

 Alex was ROCKING out on these little playthings.

 When I tried to get Alex to pose with his "best friend," Mitchell, the first thing he did was grab his shirt to point excitedly at Thomas the Train.  Hahaha.

So sweet!  Cute little buddies giving each other a hug.

 Haela was the first friend at church that Grace made when we moved here and I know she's going to miss her a lot.  The two of them are kindred spirits.  And no, Grace is not capable of taking a picture without pulling a crazy face.

 Here is Jane with Mitchell's sister, Aubree.

Jane with her "best friends" -- Allie and Aubree.

{Me and a couple of MY best friends -- April and Charity}

Charity and April were the very first friends I made when we moved here 3 years ago.  And even though we're going our separate ways, I know we'll be friends forever.

 Ethan grabbed the camera to run and take a picture of "The Biggest Sandcastle EVER" that the older kids had created on the volleyball court.

Unfortunately, by the time he had dragged me over to see it in person, the masses had descended upon it and razed it to the ground.  Ethan was not happy.

When we finally left the park around 9, darkness had completely fallen upon us and the children were tired, filthy, and in mostly high spirits.  It wasn't until we were driving home in the car that the meltdown began in full force.  Jane gets exceptionally emotional when she's tired and the others are not a whole lot better.  Luckily, no one put up too much of a fight when we got home and we managed to get all 5 kids bathed and in bed in record time.

I'm sure this post is un-interesting to 98% of you, so I hope the following anecdote will at least leave you with a laugh:

As we were driving home last night, I was trying to explain to Scott {who had been gone the whole day at a golfing thing for work} that Alex had somehow gotten about half a stick of butter in Jane's hair while I was in the shower that morning.  {Seriously, almost her entire head of hair was greased through and through.}  I was telling him that I had no idea how it had happened, when Grace piped up with the following --  "While Jane was buttering her pancake, Alex was buttering her hair."  Hahahahahahaha.  Thanks, Grace.  Thanks a lot.  Hahaha.