Vandivers Houston Bound

We found out a couple of weeks ago that our BEST FRIENDS will be leaving us this summer and moving to Houston, TX! It is SUPER bittersweet! We have only known the Vandivers for 3 years but it feels like we've known them for a lifetime! It was inevitable that they would move, but were never sure when. There was always that feeling in the back of my mind that maybe, just maybe they'd decide to stay in Terre Haute for a while longer. We are so excited for them on their new adventure and we wish them all the best. You guys better get a house big enough for us to come visit because we definitely plan on it! Should we buy stock in Southwest Airlines now?!

Their friendship is just one of those once-in-a-lifetime friendships that you don't find very often or ever. We joke often that Melissa and I share a brain, which sometimes I think might actually be factual...lol! As for the boys, they are the perfect combination too! How often do you find mutual friends in a marriage that the husbands and wives have such a close, unbreakable bond and the kids all get along and enjoy being around each other (for the most part...haha). Our friendship is just easy...no plans have to be made, we just spontaneously get together.

They have really become our family and not just our friends. My parents have "adopted" Kyle and Cadence as their own grandkids.  We often joke that the husbands have 2 wives and vice versa. We support each others kids at their events whether it be sports or dance or birthdays, or even being a fill-in grandparent at school. It's just what we do! I would have never imagined our friendship to become what it has become today after meeting them for the first time in our church c-group, but I am SO glad it did!

They have been their for great times and the worst of times!  I've always said that you know you are our true friends when it no longer matters what our house looks like when you come over. Now granted, I try and clean up for planned events always, but for those spontaneous, unplanned moments, they aren't there judging our messy house, just enjoying spending time together. When Bobby's dad died, Melissa even FaceTimed with me to get together a bunch of stuff we needed and Nate drove all the way up to South Bend to hand deliver it to us. When I went into labor with Austin, Melissa came to stay with the girls on a school night without hesitation! I can't even count the number of times they have watched our kiddos for us! They are our "3am friends" even though I think the only time we've needed each other at that time is when I had Austin, but they are those people that we can call at anytime, for anything and know that they'd be there without hesitation. Same goes for us!

I can't even explain in words how much the Vandivers mean to us! I could write an entire book probably. I'm so glad that God placed them in our lives and that we have developed this lifelong friendship with a family from California we wouldn't have probably ever met if it wasn't for Nathan taking the risk of moving his family to Terre Haute, IN even if Melissa was kicking and screaming (not really) all the way here!  We're so glad you took that leap of faith! Even though it's not a forever goodbye, it's still going to be so emotional to say 'see ya later!'

Oh, the memories! (and this is only a snippet!)

God bless your family on your next big adventure and know that we will always be your 3AM friends for life!  Love you guys!

Y'all come back now, you hear! ;)