Movers and Settlers

The weekend some of us had long dreaded arrived a few days ago ~ Jaclyn and Ryan's moving weekend. They loaded up the moving van that Ken and Renee drove over from Charlotte on Friday afternoon. Once we were out of school we joined in the effort that ended just before sundown. I didn't think to take any pictures of their little apartment as it was emptied out. None of us will miss the steep and narrow driveway there especially! Then we enjoyed Friday evening supper together here at our place. It was fun having them stay with us overnight before they pulled out of town.

Randy convinced most of them to try a taste of his green smoothie (greens with frozen bananas and water). See how bright eyed Ryan looks after his swig!

After supper Stephanie couldn't stay awake.
She shoulda' had some of the green smoothie I guess. She was the only one we couldn't convince.
Jaclyn helped me with one more birthday calendar. It was a day we didn't want to end.
Then Sabbath after dinner, Jaclyn, Ryan, Ken and Renee all napped while we went for a walk with Stephanie. Ryan's brother and sister came by to say good-bye as well as some of Renee's family. After supper we enjoyed sundown worship together around the piano with Ken leading us beautifully from one song to the next. It was so meaningful having this time together as we ended the Sabbath and our great years together with Jaclyn and Ryan.Some of us didn't even make it through the first song we sang, "We are Nearing Home," before tears were flowing.
Stephanie said, "This seems like a funeral" as the kleenex box was passed. It was no longer possible to put out of our minds what was about to happen. We'd been doing our best to do that for the last two or three weeks, since Ryan accepted the job as coach and PE teacher at Ozark after his December graduation.
After some singing, Stephanie asked who was going to have the eulogy. The comedy relief was needed. Thanks, Stephanie.
We have enjoyed so much having Jaclyn here for eight years while she got her nursing degrees and then "got hitched." (Whoever said "Parting is such sweet sorrow" needs to take out the "sweet.") The sky was even shedding tears as we stood out front in the driveway in the rain after sundown watching them put a few more of their belongings onto the truck. Several of us were here to wish them well as they pulled out to drive about half way to Ozark Academy on Saturday night (it's a 12 hour trip).

After they left, some of us "Settlers" played 3 rounds - it was therapeutic, even though Stephanie won two of the games. We kept track of where the moving caravan was through text messages with Jaclyn and a few phone calls.

We had some more normal smoothies (carob smoothies with peanut butter and bananas) to go with popcorn while we played. Jonathan and Stephanie watched our "Smoothie King" whip them up. The plan was to call Jaclyn and Renee en route and slurp thru the straws into the phone which we did often here with Jaclyn as we'd call Renee, but we didn't have the courage to do it. Stephanie was seeking assurance that Jonathan and Kelli would stay around and not leave us this summer when Kelli graduates. Jonathan will be in school then so they promised to stay around till he's through. We hope to share lots more fun games of Settlers together with those of us still settled here in Happy Valley.