Saying goodbye, why is it sad? Makes us remember the good times we had.

Just thought I'd steal that line from "The Muppets Take Manhattan." Good flick, lotsa kid memories.

Well, PR preached his last sermon last night. I missed most of it because I went out to visit the bathroom, then ended up helping Chris carry in the cakes, then took Eko to the potty (yes, it was not my place, but she kept pulling her pants down in the middle of the nursery and her dad didn't understand nursery policy. It's okay.). By the time I came out and actually changed Eko's diaper, things were done and I was helping clean up the nursery--did I mention it wasn't my service?

The send-off meal was nice, and I thought I was going to get through things without being emotional..... until I hugged Pastor. I don't know if he was crying, but it felt like he was crying, and it sounded like he was crying. He said something about it having been a pleasure, and I didn't say a word. What do you say? I thought I would make it without getting emotional. Really. I almost lost it. Almost. My eyes filled up with tears, but I didn't actually cry. I mean, I guess it never hit me until that moment all the life situations he's been through with us. He was the one there when I came home from college with this devastating news that, yes, I was pregnant and not married. He was the one who counseled and married Billy & I. He has seen Hunter. We have been on many youth camping trips together. It is strange to think that he won't be there when we come back next week. I am a different person now than I was then; am I a better person, I don't know. I am most assuredly different, though. I still struggle with the heartaches from seven years ago, they just affect me in different ways now.

I made the comment to Billy that maybe it won't rain the next youth group camping trip we take. Billy thought that was mean, but I didn't mean it like that. =) And I would think that PR would probably get that. I am sure the rain curse will follow them to California.... It is his lot in life. Heh.

Don't get me wrong. I am happy that we have a new pastor and family I am familiar with and also very comfortable with. I just never could have guessed that seven years ago we would've had a pastor and pastor's family that would feel like family. People you could joke with and not feel like every moment was being analyzed. People who had struggled, and did not emit the "I-am-holier-than-thou" vibe. Good people. Friends.

I know that our new pastor (he is Mr. B to me from my high-school days, as is the reason Pastor Rod is PR) will be much the same. We will miss these family members, though, and will keep them in our prayers.