rewind...a hard goodbye

So, it's already been a whole month since we said goodbye to these guys...

I can't believe it.  For one, that it has been a whole month already.  For two, that they don't live here anymore.  And for three, that they live in California!  Who would have ever thought?!

Here's a few pictures of one of our last evenings together as a big family in central Illinois...

And of course, we had one last sleep over with the 4 girls just days before they left :)...

The best part about saying goodbye to them, was that Andrea and Traever got to say "hello" to Mercy the night before they drove off...  Such a miracle because Mercy came 7 days early...and I've never gone early before!  Praise God :).

Adalai and Remy waving goodbye that night at the hospital! 

We've been pretty spoiled to live so close these past 5 years.  Not only do we enjoy each other, but it has been WONDERFUL to have our girls so close in age and watch them become good friends as well!  To say we're going to miss them is an understatement.

So yes, it's hard to see them go...but we're excited for them too as they head off to do the work God has called them to!  And we're excited to visit...I mean, who could pick a better place to visit than Southern California?!