It's been a while

I have mentioned before on this blog about what great friends the Air Force has provided us with, and here is likely the most shining example. Sierra and Tobin we met while we were stationed at Vandenberg AFB in California while Sierra and Jeff were in training to become missileers. Tobin and Sierra, along with Bill and Crystal (Bill was in the same class) would turn out to be our life long best friends who also lived with us in Montana. Also from this class were Mary Yelnicker, Jake Licheliter and Jeff Parish.

When we arrived in Montana as a group we were the only friends we knew, will all of us just couples (or single). We celebrated Bill and Crystal finding out they were pregnant just before moving to Montana, then Caden being born. We congratulated Jake as he brought Kathryn, his new bride into the mix, and then more celebrations as we welcomed Haley Kay into the mix, shortly followed by Haley Madison being born to Bill and Crystal, then Emily to Mary and Brett, and then were amazed as Jake and Kathryn had twins Nathan & James. We cried when it was time to say goodbye to Sierra and Tobin and once again celebrated when they had Kora far away. All of this in just 4 short years. We all marvel to look back on our beginnings and laugh at how there are now 8 kids added to this mix of friends.

This weekend Sierra and Tobin were able to make it out to Colorado for an all to quick visit en route to Florida for vacation. It had been about a year and a half since we'd last seen them, kids had been born, or grown bigger and yet, it was still just as comfortable and fun as always. During this visit we were able to get all the kids together (minus Emily who now lives in California) to meet each other and play for a bit while enjoying to company.

We are truly thankful for the friendships that the Air Force has provided us, and know that these are people who will be a special part of our life forever. We've experienced things together that no one in the "civilian world" could possibly understand and for that we have bonds for a lifetime. I look forward to watching each other's children grow and accomplish things and hopefully become as good of friends as their parents. And while we might not always live close to each other, we'll always be just a phone call or quick visit away, and still be as close as we ever were
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All of the kids - clockwise from on top of the table: Kale (ours), Caden (Bill & Crystal's), Haley Kay (ours), Kora (Sierra & Tobin's), Nathan? (Jake & Kathryn's), James? (Jake & Kathryn's), and Hailey Madison (Bill & Crystal's).

Tobin: feeling the itch with my not so small baby (the youngest of the group - for now)!

Kora, Kale and Haley in the swimming pool sized tub. Yes, they're rocking the Mohawks (as best Kora can anyway).

Monkey Jammies!! Yeah, they called each other and coordinated outfits (or at least their mom's did).

Me & Sierra - we realized the night before they were leaving that we had a ton of pictures of the kids together, but none of us so we quick took one in the kitchen in the midst of sterilizing binkies.