Saying Goodbye

Why can't we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldn't work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos. ~Charles M. Schulz

I couldn't describe my feelings more clearly than Charles Schulz! It has been so hard for me to say goodbye to the many wonderful friends I have spent so much time with in Cheyenne. Cheyenne is the longest place both Paul and I have lived since our original homes while growing up. There are many things I will NEVER miss about living in Cheyenne, but I will definitely miss this phase of our lives. It has been a long time since I have cried so much. Even now, I get sad thinking about all those we left. In the military your friends really do become your family. Here are a few pictures of some of our friends. I am sad that I did not get pictures of all our close friends! Sorry!

This is Travis and Amy Richards. We met them at Vandenberg AFB and they got stationed in Denver instead of lovely Cheyenne. We wish we could have seen them more often, but it was fun meeting them in Loveland, CO to say goodbye. They were great friends to us in California. We would get together often for dinners and to watch 24. They are such wonderful people and they will be missed!

We said goodbye to the Cahoons our last night in Cheyenne. It was Troy's birthday that night and so the boys have their shirts off in preparation for cake! We have seen each of their children from the time they were little babies and got to watch them grow. We loved playing games with Holli and Troy and just hanging out. They invited us over for countless dinners and have been great friends. Holli helped me so much in my transition to being a mom and was there to listen, bring meals, and spend time with me. Their kids are so well behaved and are always fun to be around.

We stayed with the Sanders our last night in Cheyenne and I think I cried off and on the whole night. When spending time with the Sanders you could usually find us either on a walk around the base loop or at Culvers! So we spent our last night at Culvers getting yummy custard. They have lived right below us for the past 3+ years and it was always so comforting to know they were there if I needed anything or got too lonely when Paul was on alert. We went to Mexico together before we had our babies. I got to spend the first part of Susannah's labor with her because Jason was on alert. I had Hayden about a month later and so we got to learn to be mothers together this past year. Susannah watched Hayden for me on Thursdays when I worked and as a result Hayden LOVES Susannah. When we are around the Sanders, Hayden immediately makes her way over to Susannah. Hayden and Payton just started to enjoy playing together and of course stealing each others toys. The Sanders are from Atlanta, so it is comforting knowing we will get to see them when they go home to visit.

We also had to say goodbye to our next door neighbors the Lasuras (sorry no pictures). They have 3 awesome kids: Ezra, River, and Cora. They all love Paul and we have loved getting to know each of them. They say the most hilarious things. They probably get it from their parents because they too are hilarious. Paul and I loved going over and telling stories and usually laughing most of the night. They also went to church with us. Joan has been great at helping me learn to be a mom as well and has helped when I did not know what to do with Hayden.


I don't know why, but we are terrible at getting pictures taken with the Eastmans. They are such good friends and we hardly have any pictures with them. Our last days are no different, no pictures! I met the Eastmans for the first time at church the Sunday before Seth and Paul graduated from the Air Force Academy (Seth and Paul knew each other from school already). They sat right behind us and Sarah scratched my back and I turned around and she had the biggest grin on her face as she said, "hi." We drove to ASBC with them to Montgomery, AL and 36 hours in our Toyota Tacoma definitely bonded us for life! While in Alabama everyone would ask Sarah and I if we had been friends for years. I don't know why but we just clicked. Sarah and I talk on the phone almost daily and I have loved being around her bright personality. Sarah is so good at showing her love to others and I hope this has rubbed off on my more reserved personality. We got to see Sarah get baptized and their whole family sealed in the temple this past summer. Watching Sarah gain a testimony of the gospel and make such huge changes in her life definitely strengthened my own testimony and has made me feel so close to her and her sweet family. We wanted to go from base to base until our husbands retired from the Air Force, so it was sad when this did not pan out as planned. Seth has probably been one of Paul's best friends as well. They have the same core beliefs, they can play sports together, and they can talk about what is important to them. Maybe Hayden will marry Wade or Landon so we can see them more often :)



And finally we had to say goodbye to my sister Michelle and her husband Jared. It has been so wonderful living close to them the past year. I only wish it had been longer. Michelle and I always played together growing up, but then went through a phase where we were not as close. By the time we realized how much we really loved each other I was in college. We have not gotten to live close to each other since we learned to appreciate one another. I am sad I will not be close when she decides to have children and I am sad Hayden will not continue to see her and know that she is her aunt and where she got her middle name. I know we will continue to talk on the phone almost daily and that Hayden will see them both, but it's just not the same. I have so much appreciated spending time with Jared and seeing all his great strengths, he is such a good match for Michelle. The Saturday before we left, they drove all the way to Fort Collins to say goodbye to us. We got lunch at our favorite, Cafe Mexicali, and then we made our way to the park to visit for a bit. I hope they know how much we love them!

I basically cried the entire time I wrote this and I know that this is not goodbye forever, but it will never be the same again. That's the part that makes me sad. Thanks to all for being such great friends and for making our time in Cheyenne unforgettable.