Unable to say goodbye....

And this is one of the trips that started this whole process....Chad and Bruce (And Tim) in the Dominican Republic

Ok, so we found out last night that our really, really good friends are moving to Puerto Rico this month.  We, of course, knew that is was going to happen, but we were hoping (out of our own selfish reasons) that is wouldn't be till after September--ya know the first time we get to return to the United States and--of course--see everyone that we have missed so much.  Well, the news that they would not be there in September hit me like a ton of bricks.

This is the family that has been like our mission support team.  We talked about missions, talked about going abroad together (but God had other plans for us), we have cried about missions--all in all, they were the people that we could talk about our crazy plans with and never for a moment seem like anything was strange.  Most people we talked to about our plans to move and live in Costa Rica looked at us like we had worms crawling out of our eyes...

But not Chad and Chandi.  It was always a breath of fresh air to talk "crazy" about our ideas.  Well, about a year ago, our plan unfolded and we had to say goodbye to lots of people, including Chad and Chandi.  We knew that they would end up in PR, but again, out of my own selfish desires, I was hoping we would get to see each other before they left.  So we could say good bye to them the way they said good bye to us.

So tonight, I took a trip down memory lane.  Not a long trip, but I pulled up some pictures (others I couldn't find and I am on a mission to find them) and wanted to share how beautiful this friendship is and how dear to my heart they are.

Thanks for everything Mayes family!  We love you and can't wait to meet up again! (geez that sounds so weird!)

The birth of baby Micah!  We were there for that!

Ava Kate, Emme and Tuga outside the delivery room at the hospital

Our little fish Emme and Tuga

Hey friends do lots of things together

At church with all the kids- baby Micah and Baby Leyton in the floor

Our mission trip to Acuna Mexico together

Chandi and I in Mexico

The "stupid" gringos who killed the snake with a rock and a shovel...

Why pushing the van up the dry dirt road of course!

Again, the 3 stooges--I mean princesses!

We were even pregnant at the same time-3 months apart

Emme and Tuga at cheerleading camp

The boys--Micah and Leyton

So of course this little trip does nothing in comparison to everything they mean to us, but it is some of the times that we shared doing the Lord's work and preparing to get to our countries of service.

I can't wait till we get to visit them in PR and see all that the Lord is going to do through them.  Of course hopefully they will get the chance to come visit us here in Costa Rica as well.  Believe me, we have talked about this and maybe to you it sounds crazy--but this is EXACTLY what we knew the Lord would be doing with this friendship--

GOD IS SO GOOD IN HIS TIMING!

So, Chad, Chandi, Noah, Tuga and Micah, until we see you again--know that we are praying for you the exact same way that you all prayed for us.  We know all that you are going to experience--and I promise, God uses all the good and the bad to teach you and stretch you--but He will NEVER leave you.
(HAHA that is my "missionary" advice to you....never thought that would happen!)

Love you all like crazy and until we cross paths again!

The whole Mayes gang

Love,
The Crawfords