Friends we've never met

Just wanted to post a little something here about two people I've never met, but consider good friends. I'm not going to name any names but they know who they are: H & F.

Now H has a blog that I read every day (well, every day she posts something!). I can't even remember how I found her blog, but I'm so glad I did. She and her husband F are wonderful people. They love God, their family, their friends and their country. They have values, wonderful values that permeate their lives and they are raising their children to have the same values and morals. Together they make up a family I would be proud to be a part of and they are a family I am so happy to know, even though we've never met.

But we have blogged, and texted, and IM'd and telephoned. Even though I haven't met them, I've tried to support them any way I can, with words and thoughts and prayers. I sent them a selection of books when they had to deal with something new, books I thought might help them help their son. And being the kind of people they are, they passed those books along to other families dealing with the same issues - paying it forward, so to speak.

Well, F is retiring after many years in the Navy. Their family is in the midst of some (thank God!) relatively minor health issues. F is looking for a new job, they will have to relocate who-knows-where (well, by now they might know!) and they will have to uproot their family and start again somewhere new. And we'll be there, at the other end of the Internet, cheering and clapping and supporting them and hoping it's a little closer to NJ!!!

So what made me start this post? Guess what I got in the mail the other day? An invitation to F's retirement ceremony. They don't know us! But they know us enough and care enough about us to invite us to join them on what is a very special day in their lives and I just wanted to share that with the world.

I want to tell them both, you are two very special people and we, Jack and I, are proud and happy to call you friends, and we really can't wait to meet you both! (Even though it might be a while 'cause we're unfortunately not going to be able to make it to GA for the party!)

I'll be thinking of you, F, on September 18th. And I'll be clapping wildly as you're recognized for your service to this country and for your dedication to this country, and I'll be cheering you and your family on as you start this new part of your lives! I know everything will be just wonderful - you deserve it!!!