So Hard to Say Good-bye!!

Flashback 3 years ago, and who would have ever thought that I would shed so many tears over leaving Pittsburgh. Go back a year before that when Matt and I went to PGH when Matt was a student and we strongly disliked the city. I remember driving into the city for the first time reading sign after sign about road rage and being frightened to death and vowing to never drive in the city. Now just abotu 4 years later and it is so hard to leave that city, mostly because of the people I love.

Soul Sisters

If girls could could be soul mates, I think I found mine. God has taken care of Matt and me during every step of the way during this whole schooling path. But I feel like He took extra care of me when He sent me these beautiful ladies in this picture. Matt's residency program has been an extremely taxing 3 years emotionally, physically and spiritually. I know there would have been no way I would have gotten through it with my sanity in tact if it wasn't for my mentor Emily my first year and these three ladies next to me my 2nd and 3rd years (next to me Allison - spouse of podiartry resident, Heather - spouse of podiatry resident, Marie (in back) - spouse of anesthesiologist resident and fellow). Since they are all spouses of residents we were able to bunker down together and share our heartaches and trials and our little mini victories and we all understood what each other was going through. We each have had our struggles with fertility, miscarraiges, pregnancies, misbehaving children and especially learning how to deal with an absentee spouse. We've cried tears of joy and anguish, but lately for me it has been tears of good-bye. I don't know if I will ever have friends like this again and I will miss them tremendously. They were so sweet, when I left they gave me letters they had written to me and little note cards (one for each hour of the trip) to open and relive memories. It was so very kind and thoughtful and very indicitive of our last 2 years! I love you ladies more than I can express thanks for sharing yourselves and your beautiful families with me!

Buddies

The crew except for Allison's oldest, Elizabeth.

The Boys. These boys have learned a lot of social skills together, they've come a long ways!!!

This is Claire and Carter. Claire's mommy is another one of my good friends. She is my visiting teaching companion and I have never had a companion that I have worked better with. I felt on the month's that I was off and would just let it slip, she always called and got it going. She is a great person and I adored getting to know her.

Hayden and Evan (Callum was sleeping).

Anthony and Carter. Anthony is one of the sweet older boys in our neighborhood. He would ride his bike around in the evening and if Carter was outside he would always stop and talk and play. Carter thought Anthony was the coolest thing ever! Anthony would tell Carter stories about whatever Carter wanted. The picture above was the day that we left our house in PGH and Anthony came to say good-bye. He hugged Carter really tight and cried. He then told Carter his last story. It was very sweet and touching. Carter adored him, but Anthony obviously adored Carter as well.

We had some of the sweetest neighbors. Richard and Netti were substitute grandparents for our kids. They always brought over Birthday and Christmas Presents and a goody of some sort for every other Holiday. We will greatly miss our little block of neighbors and friends.