A Sad Day

Today is a sad day for me. Allow me to explain.

The end of last week marked my six year anniversary here in Pennsylvania. Rachel's is a month away, but I can't get over the fact that we've been up here that long. We spend two years in the apartment, and four here. In that time, we've always been in the Pottstown Ward, and we've recently decided that it's not such a bad place to be. For a long time, we really didn't like it at church. We were able to find little excuses not to go, or sometimes not even find an excuse. We would normally go on Sunday's I had to teach in Elder's Quorum, but that was pretty much it. We just felt very left out for the longest time. I thought it was because we didn't have kids. Here we were, this young couple, but no kids. We didn't know hardly anyone, and the people we did know never really seemed to know us. We always had people asking if we were new, up to the fourth year of our anniversary here. It was okay for a time, but after a while, we just added that to our reasons to not attend. It also didn't help that every time Rachel and I made friends with someone in the Ward, they'd move. It is still a running joke between us, that "If you want to move from the Pottstown Ward, make the Palmers your friends." It started with Mark and Natalie Edwards, to Scott and Arlene Eck, and now to Dustin and Erin Hassell. Most of our friends promised to stay in touch, but never did. We tried to keep the communication open, but either never received calls back, or emails went unanswered. That's why I am sad. I am going to miss the Hassell's most of all (unless Dee and Kirk leave, then I will miss them the mostest.)

Erin and I sat up talking last night, and just talking to her, made me realize how much I am going to miss them. Dustin is such a great man. He has a quiet, but powerful spirit to him. Just talking to the man, or listening to him teach a principal in class, just makes me envy that leadership quality he has. He was called as the EQ president like two weeks after moving into the ward, and I just couldn't figure it out. Here he was, moving into the ward, and out of the blue, he's chosen to lead the quorum. Chah, Right !! I started to talk to him before and after pack meetings, and I found him to be this really cool guy. I mean, he's not a huge pro football guy like I am, but he let me tease him about things, and never took offense to me (that I know of.) Then there's Erin: what a freaking hoot ! I didn't have a decent read on her when they moved into the ward, all I could remember thinking about her was I thought that she seemed like a Molly Mormon, goody-two-shoes lady. Well, at one pack meeting, there was cake. I love cake. A lot. Cake. One half was yellow, and one half was chocolate. Well, I got a piece of the yellow, and it wasn't very good. Erin let me taste a piece of her chocolate, and it was so much better. I made a comment like, "I should have gotten the chocolate." Next thing I know, their daughter is bringing me a piece at Erin's request. I thought that was sweet, and what Erin did was nice, too. Cake. Well, that started my thaw to her. She's such a fun loving, salt of the earth, sweet woman, how could you not love her? So, Rachel and I started to do things with them. We had dinner with their family one night, although I had to leave early because of work, but Rachel said it was nice (Erin sent home dinner for me, so I thought so too.) We sat up talking about her family and life last night, I shared my life experiences as well. We traded some of our favorite videos from the internet, and just had fun. She's nothing like I originally thought, which goes to show you that first impressions are often wrong. I completely missed the freaking target on the Hassell family, and it makes me sad to think of the time wasted because I didn't get to know them much earlier.

So, I get called to be the second counselor in the EQ presidency a few months ago. Dustin said he knew I was going to be the next one for about six months. Fetcher. Cake. The Matson's moved closer to Temple for his schooling, so we had an opening for friends. The Hassell's slid right into that slot, and fit perfectly. We were on the cusp of really becoming close, and then the phone rang. Dustin was calling me to let me know, firsthand, that he had accepted a job in California and they would be moving by the end of the month. I remember being very upset that night. I just kept saying, "it's happening again." I was almost crying (honestly). We offered our help to their family, to move, paint, clean, etc. but they said everything was fine and taken care of. Dustin left with the kids to start work, and Erin was left behind to get their house packed up and cleaned up to sell before she joins them. She mentioned she needed a place to stay for a night or two, once they packed up the furniture. We were more than happy to offer our home up to her, as one last gesture to a dear friend departing. Erin is flying out tomorrow, and we're sad. We love you guys, and hope to see you again one day. We started missing you the day you told us you were leaving.