One of the toughest aspects of life is saying good-bye to good friends. Though we're happy for them for all the new adventures they will have, it still hurts to know you won't see their smiling faces beaming at you each week at church, or to have them return a friendly wave as they drive by.
Such is life. We hurt because of how much they mean to us.
I had a connection to both Jeff and Kathleen. Jeff's brother married a gal from my high school. He's also from Idaho near where my mother and cousins grew up. And Kathleen's related to friends from my LDS mission days. They have an amazing story of how they ended up together. Someone should make a Hallmark movie about it.
The two moved into the neighborhood and quickly became a couple you could count on to help with neighborhood projects, helping people move, or especially, cutting up firewood (Jeff loved to get firewood...). Jeff was our scoutmaster and provided some amazing memories for my sons. He replaced me as scoutmaster, actually. What a blessing that was to those boys.
Kathleen, boy...what can you say about her? She's just an amazing person. Always with a kind word, and just like her husband, always with a smile.
Each year the Nyes put on a block party. We went last fall. The whole neighborhood seemed to be there. I didn't realize it would be our last. I guess that's how things go. We never know. I've tried to take a positive outlook when beloved neighbors move. I think about the new people who haven't met them yet, but who soon will. They will get to know them, and to love them as we have. Why should we get to hog all the fun? We should spread it around.
So, the Nyes have moved on. They're settling into their new place, just as they did here many years ago. Thanks Jeff and Kathleen--you sure know how to throw a party!
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