Fair Winds and Following Seas

So, I'm a military wife. Part of that, is picking up and following my husband wherever the military chooses to send him. That means leaving friends, favorite places, and sometimes jobs with sometimes a moment's notice. Well, I've only been the one leaving everyone else so far. Until now, that is. Last month, I got to experience the 'left behind' part for the first time.

After moving to California, it took a few misses before I found a best friend here. This girl - from Kentucky, so Southern and just like me in basically every way - butted right into my life and carved a spot in my heart for herself. My daughter fell madly in love with her. For the first time, my husband REALLY REALLY liked one of my friends to the point he claims her as HIS friend as well.

I never thought it could be harder than leaving my circle of friends. Well, I found out it can. It's worse to be stuck in a place you've come to love as much as you hate, without that one person that made it bearable. (Yes, I have a love/hate relationship with this place, we'll see which side of the coin it is when it's my time to leave.) This girl, she got me. And I mean, REALLY got me. She loved my kid almost as much as I do. She was there for me at a moment's notice (last minute ER trip with a puking 2 year old anyone?) and helped me in ways no one else could have. When she started talking about leaving, I didn't think I was going to be okay. I've never been the one left behind, after all.

I can't put into words what this girl means to me. How she's impacted my life. I'll never be able to put that into words, but she knows how much I love her. Driving away from her house after saying good bye to her was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done. I almost just parked in her driveway and refused to let her leave. But that's childish, and her husband had orders. I couldn't keep them here if I wanted to.

Luckily, life goes on, and we have incredible technology. I can talk to her via facebook and Skype (if she'll ever find her stinking camera!) and it's almost like she never left. One day, we might end up at a base together. After all, the Marine Corps IS a dept of the Navy, right? ;)

So, (and I'm being cliche just to make her cringe), Fair Winds and Following Seas, my dear. I'll see you on the flip side.