Minutes to Memories

I just noticed that I started this blog one year ago today, and I think I've only missed two or three days of blogging over that time period. A lot happens in a year, it seems. Well, a lot happens every single day.

We stayed after our evening devotional last night to say our good-byes to the Stone family. We did it with cookies, brownies, cake and ice cream, which is always a nice way to do pretty much anything.

The Stone family has been very special to the Sturgeon family, and will remain so, of course, even though it came time for the United States Coast Guard to relocate their family to the Tampa/St. Petersburg area. They have had an eventful stay on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, including a hurricane named Katrina, and I hope that their next stop will be a lot calmer than this one.

But we’ve enjoyed immensely the chance to become friends.

Marion and I are practically the same age, and combining that with a similar spiritual outlook and a common love of sports, we have never had a problem finding things to talk about! Marvel has been my secretary, and words cannot describe how wonderful she has been in that role – efficiency, talent, and friendliness all combined in just a perfect way. Amanda even looks like our Hillary’s older sister, and they’ve had lots of fun, ranging from spending the night at our house to hanging out at the church building together on school breaks. And Rebekah – everyone falls in love with Rebekah.

Life on the Mississippi Gulf Coast brings the opportunity to get to know lots and lots of interesting folks through various branches of the United States military (Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard primarily), and for that I am thankful. But this also means it brings lots of opportunities to say good-bye to good friends, and for that I am often sad.

Like today. Thankful, and sad.

And hopeful that the Stone family has a safe move today, and a happy life in their next stop.