... Until We Meet Again - brunch at the Boykin's

Today was spent with friends & family. My family of friends. Friends who are now my family. It was spent with people I admire and love. Being a Navy family - you learn to make friends quickly. To recognize quality friendships. Today was about the gift of FRIENDSHIP and the gift of TIME. Today was a great day... and a sad day of having to say "farewell" or rather - ... Until We Meet Again!

Below is my e'mail that I sent to our friends who spent time with us today... OUR LAST DAY here in South Carolina! I will post photos to this e'mail later - when I get more time!


... Thank you so much for taking time this afternoon to say "farewell" and spend a few hours with our family! We truly feel so blessed to have had such a GREAT group of friends here in South Carolina! Each of you have touched our lives in different ways... and our family has truly appreciated our time together.

Tim & Darcy Boykin & 2 kiddos - Noah & Kyra... You opened up your home for us and planned such a wonderful event! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! The food was all so fantastic and the backyard was perfect for all the many kids to run around and play! Man, the kids (and daddy, too - Michael, Stan & Dale) loved the obstacle course and Zip line! The fort was amazing and so much fun for all the kids to let their imaginations run wild!

I still remember meeting you all at our gym and how excited I was that there was FINALLY some "discipline" in the JUDO class... a sensei (TIM) who demanded respect and had a commanding voice! Darcy, you walked in and I made the connection that you were Tim's wife and I thanked you right away for your husband's leadership! You were so very sweet and your kids were so adorable... I knew the moment we exchanged phone numbers that we could be good friends! I've probably known you the least out of all the groups of friends - yet the connection with you is something so special that I feel like I've known you forever... you're like a long-lost sister! It just broke my heart to see little Noah in tears today as we were saying our good-byes... what a sweet sweet boy! We just love you guys so much!

Pat & Denise Grover & 4 kids - Hunter, Conor, Collin & Hannah Grace... You were the first family to greet us at the farewell party... and man, every time I see you guys I am so thankful for your kindness and friendships. Another GREAT family that we've been blessed with here in SC! We are so looking forward to Guam because of your sheer excitement about it. Thank you so much for connecting us with the Leo Palace and making our "transition" a smooth one... it'll be great to write you and know exactly what you're talking about when you tell us about the different places to go and people you've talked about. It always amazed me how from the very first day we met - our kids just all clicked and got along! How I wish we could've been stationed in Guam together and "explored the world". You've helped us in so many ways... and we are so very thankful! I just wished we had MORE time together - we LOVE being around you & your beautiful family!

Michael & Alex Costanzo & boys - Rocco, Bruno & Guilio... What a beautiful family you are! Alex, I have been changed because of you and truly am blessed knowing you & your family! We met you all within the first few months of us living here in South Carolina - we were brand new to the area and knew NO ONE! Rocco & Ryan were in Kindergarten together and it was a "MEET THE TEACHER NIGHT" at school and you both walked in and I thought - "wow, what a beautifully striking couple". I saw Alex standing alone and I went to talk to you and introduced myself and held out my hand and realized at that moment and only at that moment that you couldn't see! You epitomize grace and elegance in my book... the way you carry yourself and always so approachable and friendly! I remember saying to you once that I always LOVED being around you because you never seem to complain about anything and admired how you handled yourself and your situation. Your response to me was, "Dot, I'm too blessed in my life to complain about anything". Girl, I LOVE YOU like a sister, too! Thank you for inviting us to Rocco & Bruno's birthday party that first day we met you 3 years ago and just being one of my FIRST friends here in SC! We love you guys!

Chris & Michelle Reilly & girls - Sarah, Brandi & Jessie - Another amazing family whom we've known all 3 years here. You guys are family - for sure! I feel so blessed knowing you guys and being friends with you! Sarah will forever be the "first girl" that Ryan had a crush on in Kindergarten... you never forget your "first love"... hee hee! I love that our kids all play so great together and always want to have sleepovers and that they call you "tita" (aunt in filipino language). Thank you for always including us in your family birthdays and neighborhood get togethers and parties... we feel so special whenever we are around you guys! I'll always remember you Mitch as my "anti-Mary Kay" friend... hee hee! My sassy - girlfriend who wanted NOTHING to do with MK! So sorry you had a bad first experience... I'm glad that I was able to bring you back to the product that you LOVE!

Jean Reilly & sweet baby Giselle - I hope that your brother Chris or Mitch will forward this to you because I've misplaced your e'mail address! I'm so thrilled that I had a chance to meet your sweet baby and see her get "dedicated in our church" before we moved away! What a beautiful little one you have and such a good good baby! You are indeed blessed! You must know how blessed you are!!!! I'm so glad that we have become friends through Michelle & Chris... I've seen you with your neices and watched you with them and how much you love them... there's no doubt in my mind that you will be a wonderful mommy to your sweet baby girl! Ooh how I wish I could be here to watch her grow! You must keep me updated with photos via e'mail! I love ya, girl! BE STRONG!

Sarah Pirt - what a blessing you have been to my family!!! I will miss you, girl! Thank you for being my reliable "go-to girl" here in SC! Thank you for watching my kids so my hubby and I can go on "date nights". Thank you for working in my MK office and keeping me organized! Thank you for coming over and taking care of my kids when I went to the hospital to deliver baby Mia! Thank you for watching Mia every Tuesday and Thursday so I can volunteer at the school and be with my other kids - just to have lunch with them... or just run to the grocery store "kid-free". You have blessed us with your presence in our home. I love you like a big sister... and I will always want the BEST for you! I've loved all our talks and have seen you "grow"... let GOD continue to work in your life!!! Love & miss you!

Kevin & Kelly Kampwerth & girls - Madison, Marissa & Kathelyn - Another beautiful family.... inside & out! Still remember meeting you at the first night of kindergarten "meet the teacher night" for Daniella & Madison... they became FAST friends and how GREAT was it that we just lived down the street from each other! Gosh, I still remember you had just moved here and you were so concerned and worried about the bus ride... and I tried to convince you that it was going to be fine. How we exchanged numbers and how I called you that first day of school to tell you the bus just came on our end of the street and that your sweet Madison should be home soon. The fearful call a few minutes later that Madison was not on the bus... Nothin' like DRAMA to start off the schoolyear, huh? Well, everything turned out fine and we're so glad that Dani & Madison became such GREAT friends and have remained great friends! I loved that our girls got to spend time together taking gymnastics and being together to enjoy it! I loved that you were able to share Mia's 1st birthday with us!! We will miss you guys and know that we'll always stay in touch! I'll keep plugged into your blog... for years to come!

Stan & Amy McGrew & kids - Tucker, Molly & Payton... Just when we thought we had enough great friends... you guys come along - and completely blow us away!! Brought together through a mutual friend - Tucker & Morgan became pen pals to help Tucker transition to moving here to SC and knowing "a friend" in the area. I loved that our boys became friends first and exchanged family pictures and finally meeting and realizing - WOW - this is a GREAT family and wanting to get to know you all more! I love how much you LOVE each other and CONNECTED you all are! The amazing "outdoor movie nights" roasting marshmellow's by the firepit in your backyard... the incredible MAD SCIENCE and CAMP McGREW Birthday Parties... to the Lady get togethers for "Close To My Heart" classes and various other gatherings! Thank you so much for trusting us enough to have Tucker spend nights at our house... and for also taking our kids for sleepovers - and Stan - for taking the boys crabbing in MT. Pleasant and waking up early to make them Guam Shaped Pancakes! Amy work hard this year so we can meet up in New Zealand! I'm all over that trip! We'll truly miss you guys!

Our "neighbors" Jeff & Jennifer Studley & kids - Jacob, Sarah, Megan & Tess... we watched the empty lot next to us turn into a beautiful home... waited patiently to see who would move in... and man - did we hit the Jackpot when you all moved in next door to us! Your sweet Sarah became our "neighborhood social committe president"... she and Daniella formed a wonderful friendship and I loved how they played together. For the first time, our kids would go to your house and your kids would spend hours in our house... I LOVED IT! I'll miss it! Thank you for letting my kids have sleepovers at your house... and cooking your "famous" TACOS that they sooooo loved! We'll miss YOU! You were the perfect neighbors - for us! And when Dani & Sarah had to say good-bye to each other today - that broke my heart more than anything... because it was Sarah that helped my sweet Daniella come out of her shell and blossom a beautiful friendship together! You're an awesome family!!!!

Finally - my parents - MOM & DAD Pan! We love you guys and will miss you sooo very much! I'm so glad that we spent this entire summer together! Having you here with us has meant so much! Thank you for all your help watching the kids... helping us in every aspect... cleaning and closing on our house in Wescott... and just being the kind of parents that love us unconditionally! Mia has been like an "only child" this summer because she was in your watchful and loving care most of the day... allowing me to focus on the 3 big kids in swim team and other activities. What a gift you gave us... YOUR TIME! We love you so much and are so blessed to have you as OUR PARENTS! You truly are THE BEST!!!! You inspire me every single day! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

I look back at our time here and know that GOD has indeed blessed us! There are so many other families that have blessed us in many other ways, in different times in our lives... and we will miss them, too! I just wanted to take the time to "remember these moments" forever & ever! Thanks again to you all for spending your day with us at the Boykin's house. Keep us in your prayers... as we soon leave SC in less than 7 hours!

... Until we meet again - WE LOVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!