Ugh!! I had to say goodbye again!!

The hardest part of being an Army wife was always having to say goodbye.  I hated it!  Every 2-3 years my husband would get orders and then I would start the classic "distancing".  I am an introvert so usually would not have a lot of friends, but would always make 1 or 2 good ones.  There was Karen at Fort Jackson, Kirsten in Germany, Renee at Fort Stewart, Lynda at Fort Polk, Evelyn at Fort Drum.  I have talked with a few of them over the years and we were able to pick up where we left off...that's how you know they are a good friend.  

I thought that when my husband retired two years ago that the goodbyes were done, but then one day in August Marcky walked through my door.  Things with my business were getting a little hard to handle and I needed help with some computer work.  My son Josh had met Marcky as she was a volunteer at the USO where he works.  He thought she might be a perfect fit for us and he was right.  Marcky was 21 years old and married to a young soldier.  I felt an immediate need to "shelter" her and take her under my wing, but truth is, Marcky did not need to be sheltered.  This was one confident and self assured young lady!  She did great things for The Old Tattered Flag for the two years she was with us.  I think it was about March that she told us her husband had learned that they would be moving to Fort Hood.  I knew it was coming, it was inevitable.  But now I had two reasons to be sad, the first, because Marcky became my right hand, quickly became known as "my assistant" and secondly because she was so damn young I felt like one of my own kids was moving away.  Marcky fit right in with Mom and I and we had lots of laughs.  Before long she knew what I was thinking before I would even say anything.    Marcky, if you are reading this, I feel bad that I wasn't able to express how grateful I am for everything you did.  You TRIED with some success to get me organized, helped build our website, beautified our patterns with gorgeous covers and so, so, so much more.  You weren't just an employee either!  You see, Marcky and her husband moved in to the house next door, so she wasn't just an employee, she was our neighbor.  The reason I wasn't able to express my feelings is because the ugly cry would have happened and I had to avoid that for everyone involved, lol!  You can see below how Mom took over on Marcky's last "open hooking" Thursday.....

So, I guess it's silly for me to think that  "goodbye's" are just a part of military life.  We will always have to say goodbye to people we are close to.  I just wasn't prepared for this one!  Marcky, I truly appreciate everything you did for Mom and I over the past two years.  I am very happy that you will be closer home while stationed at Fort Hood.  As I was able to say during dinner, you know you always have a place here at The Old Tattered Flag.   We WILL miss you!

Until next time.....