Bittersweet

Martin and I are spending our second to last week in Washington, DC - the house is on the market, the one way plane tickets to Arizona are purchased, and the moving truck is scheduled.  Our time as "Washingtonians" is coming to an end.  Someone asked me the other day what I would miss the most about living here.  The first thing that came to mind wasn't the easy access to some of the best sightseeing, the great restaurants, or the awesome career opportunities.  It was our wonderful neighborhood...and even more specifically, the fabulous friends we've made right here at home...most especially the Richards.

Although we've been trying for almost a decade to get back home to Arizona, our ties to this area have only grown since Peyton was born.  In addition to her regular requests to see Mommy and Daddy, Peyton also routinely and emotionally asks to see her best friend Amber, Amber's mom Amy, or their dog Rudy (usually in that order).  Peyton's morning routine isn't complete until she sees at least 20 minutes of videos and photos of Amber and her on my iPhone.  As soon as we're on our way home from daycare, PK immediately asks for Amber.  More often than not, Peyton waits impatiently at Amber's front door for her and Amy to get home so they can goof off in their house or wagon together.  And Peyton can't go to bed at night without first kissing a picture of Amber "night night" and giving the now wrinkled photograph a hug.

Fun in the sun.

Taking a juice box break.

We therefore leave the area with heavy hearts, knowing that Peyton may grow up and have little or no memory of her first best friend, Amber.  I am sad that the two of them won't get to continue to grow up together, share in all of their great milestones, and play together on a nightly basis.  And, I'm sad for me too.  Amy and I have become more than just neighbors.  She's my gossip buddy, my cat sitter, my spare pantry, my pedicure pal, my fellow Britney lover, and, as a first time mom, my counselor and parenting expert.  We're best friends, just like our daughters.

Britney '11

I hear people talk about "childhood friends" or say "we've been best friends since we were babies."  My one wish is that even though a country may separate them, Peyton and Amber stay in touch, visit each other, and call each other best friends for the rest of their lives.  And my one consolation is that with today's technology, I know these two will be skype pals.  Any maybe, just maybe, my not so casual hints to convince the Richards to move to Arizona won't go unnoticed.

Let's conquer this water tunnel together.

Best Friends Forever...