Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Saying Goodbye to Friends


Well, today was a really hard day. Dancer Girl had to say goodbye to this little girl who is her first best friend. She and her family are leaving for New York state at 7 am and we stopped by their house as they were packing the truck today for one last goodbye. We ended up staying four and a half hours.

Her mother and I were sent each other's e-mail addresses by the La Leche League. We both wrote desperate e-mails to La Leche when our babies were months old, asking where the closest group was to our city. Well, it turns out that my friend started her own group for nursing moms. She called it Mother to Mother. We e-mailed and met each other for the first time when Dancer Girl was 8 weeks old, and her daughter was about 6 or 7 months old.

So the girls have practically known each other their whole little lives. The Mother to Mother group still meets once a week, though my friend and I don't really go much any more. There is at least one Mother to Mother Group in another nearby city now too.

Our group focused on Nursing Moms Supporting Each Other. My friend called lots of companies and got lots of free samples and coupons. We started making free informational packets to give to local OB offices and the Health Department. My friend got certified as a lactation consultant, and became a resource for the local hospital when new moms needed additional help with nursing their newborns. We organized casseroles for the moms in the group during their first weeks home with their newborns.

My friend and her family has had a great impact on mine. I will miss her a lot. I am sure, however, that my daughter will miss her daughter more. There was lots of crying as I buckled the girls up in the van to finally go. Dancer Girl had to go back for second and third hugs before I could even get her in the van.

Both girls will be starting kindergarten this fall. It has been a long time since that fall day in 2001 when we met. I am happy because they will be moving closer to family and grand-parents, and I can see the benefits of that. I am sad because my daughter has a broken heart because she is losing a best friend and playmate. They will write, of course.

My prayers are for safe travels and for God to look out for them and direct every step in their lives. To my friends...


An Old Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

6 comments:

Motherkitty said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Motherkitty said...

'm sorry you and the family will be losing your close friendship with your friend and her family. You may stay in touch by e-mail, etc., but it just won't be the same. I'm also sorry for the kids because I know how much they meant to each other. You've all had a good five-year run and you've developed a life-long friendship with a super family. We will give the girls a big hug and kiss when we see them today. I know that won't be the same, but maybe that will ease some of the pain.

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

I'm so sorry that your friends are leaving, and I know that you will all miss this family.

I remember this little girl from the parties that I have attended for the girls...she was always there.

This will be a wonderful opportunity for Dancer Girl to begin having a penpal. They can send pictures and letters back & forth. Dancer girl can write a letter and you can scan it into the computer and email it to her friend. Her mother can print it out at the other end. A great way to learn & practice penmanship.

doubleknot said...

So sad to lose friends. When I was very young our military family moved often so I never had many close friends we always seemed to lose touch - hope that doesn't happen to Dancer Girl and her friend.

The Four Bears in the Woods said...

Hi Kitten Yarn,

So sorry to hear you are losing your friends. Hopefully you can still keep in touch and maybe visit each other as much as you can.

I have been tagged by AIP to do a meme and now I am tagging you if you would like to do it. Just check out my blog.

Mama Bear

Anonymous said...

Daughter,

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." -- Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss)