And They're Off!

Four years ago, I knew the day would come, but as always, I never knew it would be so hard!  As each of our children have left to go on to their careers, George and I have been so proud to know how hard they have worked to prepare for the next phase in their life, but each time as they have moved to where their chosen occupation took them, it was so difficult to see them go.  Craig, Cassie, and Baby Riley left yesterday for Dallas where he will be a dentist in a clinic there.  Here are some pictures of them saying "good-bye":

I will miss my little Riley Boy.  I guess he's trying to tell me just like Ethan did when he left:  "Grandma, you'll have to get new friends now!"  Hah!

Craig saying "So long," to Jeff and Lola

Garrett and Isaac are really going to miss Craig and Cassie.  They have loved having them come and going to their house to "burn."  (We always burned leaves at their house.)

The hugs and tears to Craig and Cassie from George (who had already said "good-bye" a couple of hours ago because he had board meeting), Amy, and I are just too personal.  I just couldn't take any pictures of that.  But here they are loading up:

 

The packed car before Riley and Cassie got in the back.  Notice the kitty-litter box that Cassie gets to put her feet around on the floor! 

Baby Riley is loaded.  They waited until after 8:00 p.m. to drive through the night for 11 hours so he would sleep most of the time.  (The next morning, we are so grateful to learn that he did, and they safely got to Cassie's parents home in Louisiana to see them and spend a day there.)

Now Mia is loaded.  She cannot figure this whole thing out.  She was just getting used to our porch for the last three weeks!

And Cassie gets in her little corner with her feet above the kitty-litter box and her hand holding Mia.  Wow!

Finally, Craig gets in and they are off to new adventures and "real life after school."  We will miss having them so close, but wish them the very best.  We love you, Craig, Cassie, and Riley!

SOME MEMORIES I WILL MISS:

Baby Riley's big smile--how happy he always is . . .

And seeing Baby Riley have new experiences like his first solids:

First, he opens his mouth . . .

Then he shuts his eyes and shivers, but . . .

then comes the big smile . . .

he opens his mouth again . . .

and again!  He likes it!  He likes it!

Soon he will be ready for this--

and this!  (Just kidding!)

And we will miss Craig and Cassie's love and support at special family events.

On Memorial Day, we visited Grandpa and Grandma Copeland's gravesite. 

This past Saturday night, Amy ran in the River Run downtown Jacksonville at the Landing.  Craig wished afterwards that he had participated, but they all came to support Amy--even though it was 8:00 p.m., the temperature was still in the 90s with 95 percent humidity!

We all waited for her to come in.  I thought I was watching so closely, but I totally missed her running past the finish line--at least a minute and a half faster than her last run.  Yeh, Amy!

We all went for ice cream afterwards to cool off.

Lola is proud of her mommy!

Thank goodness, we still have Jeff and Amy's family near by so that we are not completely alone.

Thank you, Craig and Cassie, for all you have done for us the past four years!  Sonny's business is definitely going to drop without the Copelands meeting half-way there for so many occasions!  Florida sports will go on, but will definitely miss some of their greatest supporters !  UF Dental School will not have a Copeland there for the first time in seven years--oh, my--maybe one of the grandkids will go!  All the bonfires we made and now won't likely make will probably make "Squeaky" happy!  (Private joke!) 

But enough of the past--on to the future!  We hope to make many more wonderful memories with Craig, Cassie, and Riley in Dallas.  We love you!