Dear Washington...

I've dealt with your bipolar weather for 9 months now. I hate the rain and I hate the snow. And I hate that the weather never seemed to cooperate with our plans for outdoor birthday parties and trips to the park. And I hated that whenever I was out in my sweats and minimal makeup, I always feared running into an ex-boyfriend or high school rival and having to explain my less-than-stellar looks. Luckily, that never happened...yet.

But there are a few things I will miss, things that will probably make this emotionally-neutral girl shed a tear or two (okay, maybe more)...

• Running a late night errand to Safeway or Target and, more often then not, running into one of my sisters. The odds of that anywhere else in the world are slim to none.
• On that same line, I'll miss being able to call one of my sisters or conning my mom into running a late night errand with me just to keep me company.
• The kids are going to die without their cousins. Especially Aubrey who has replaced me as her best friend with her cousin, Madelynn. I can use Madelynn to bribe Aubrey to do just about anything, "Aubrey, eat your lunch so we can go play with Madelynn" and my daughter who generally picks at her food with just about inhale it. The kids are going to miss their crazy little cousins, even if they fight half the time!
• Seattle. We didn't go there nearly enough but when we did I always had a blast. I love Bellevue, Pikes Place Market, and spending time with Jeremiah's side of the family. They always know how to have a good time.
• I know we will have a ward to greet us when we arrive in New Mexico, but I will honestly miss the Lake City Ward. Not just because I grew up knowing many who still attend, but because I always felt loved by those there. And they had fun activities!
• I'm definately going to miss family get-togethers, especially on Sunday, and especially on someone's birthday when we all sang off-key and made Madelynn cry. The number of kids under one roof was out of control, but I loved it, and I know my kids loved it.
• Babies - both Celeste's baby Jacob and my sister in law Amy's baby Liliane. By the time I see them next they will be walking and talking and probably graduating high school.
• Lastly (and this list certainly isn't it, just throwing out what's on my mind) I will miss my parents (and Missy, that cute lazy little mutt). As we tried to figure out what to do while Jeremiah searched for a job, my parents offer to let us stay with them and became an answer to our prayers. I know that going from a house of 2 to a house of 7, including three small children and two stressed-out parents was difficult for them, and it wasn't always easy, but it sure saved us a lot of troubles as we searched for a way to become independent again. I will always remember their willingness to help us during our time of struggle.

So, in closing Washington, goodbye. I will slightly miss you, but I'm so excited for our next adventure!