Hello's and Good-Bye's: Not sure I'm good at either

The weather can't make up its mind today. It's cloudy. It's sunny. It's cloudy again. Oh here, let's throw some rain around while we're at it. About the only thing constant is the wind.

But I don't mind. The weather can stay moody. I love it. =)

Today's a little more special than the average Sunday; today we are welcoming back to San Diego some very good friends of ours. Greg and Amy and their son Josiah moved to Nevada about six months ago. We were sad to see them leave; Greg had been leading our home fellowship for several years and Amy and I had become good "mommy" friends (our boys are only 4 months apart). =)

Now the Lord has seen fit to bring them back into our lives. And I am very thrilled about that, dontcha know? Toe-tapping-with-impatience-can't-wait-to-see-them thrilled. Caleb will have his old play buddy back, and we will all get to meet little Zeke who was born in August.

But even as I rejoice at this unexpected turn of events, I'm a bit down about another.

Because another set of really good friends are leaving.

Shawn and Natalie, along with little Elizabeth, are moving to Pennslyvannia on Tuesday.

And I am more than just a little sad about that.

I've known Shawn for almost ten years. I originally met him on my first missions trip in 1999. We both went to Peru with Teen Mania and kept in touch afterwards. His travels took him to Texas, Alaska, and finally to my little hometown of Yucca Valley. He worked for my dad for a year, learning wood-working and cabinetry. It was Shawn who found the Nazarene church where I would eventually meet Jason. In fact, Shawn met my husband before I did. He started bugging me to come visit this new church, and I remember Shawn telling me "I met this really great guy at Young Adults. I think you'd like him."

He was, of course, talking about Jason. =) I visited the church, fell in love with it (and with Jason, incidentally), and the rest is history.

Fast forward about three years. Jason and I had been married about six months when Shawn got engaged. He'd found himself a beautiful young lady from PA whom he was excited for us to meet.

Enter Natalie, stage right.

She and I immediately hit it off. I blame our common love for Jane Austen and the same exceptionally silly sense of humor we share. (fuzzy galloping caterpillars, Batman?). Yep. The giggle girls. That was us. Erm, is us. We're still silly. That hasn't changed.

Ahem.

She asked me to be her maid-of-honor. I said yes. They were married eight months later. We continued to talk, despite living in cities 180 miles apart. Over the last three years, we've become the best of friends.

You can understand why I'm in no hurry to say this good-bye.

God works in mysterious ways, doesn't He? I can see His hand at work, bringing Greg and Amy back to us. I can also see His hand in moving Shawn and Natalie back east. Funny that He should do both within two days of each other.

Natalie, I'm sure gonna miss you girlie. You guys will be in our prayers as you drive across the country and start a new life in PA. Don't worry. One day I'll forgive you for moving so far away. ;-) You know, when Elizabeth gets married and I get an invitation in the mail to be the wedding coordinator. Just kidding, just kidding. Seriously, I think I'll forgive you much sooner than that. You'll hear your cell phone ringing one day soon and I'll be at the other end, burnt dinner in hand, yelling incoherently about meatloaf and car windows and that new recipe for Jerk Chicken you gave me. :) I love you, girl. God bless you guys.