The beginning of our good-byes

One of the things that I will always remember and be grateful for while living here in Chicago is the singing group that our ward had for the kids. Every week we would meet for about an hour and sing songs with our kids. I have to say I learned a ton because I don't know very many kid's songs. It's been a huge highlight to our weeks here. I have to say that Maren McBeth did such a good job leading it and teaching us new songs every season. It was incredible for her to open her home every week to all of us and put in all the preparation and work that she did. Today was one of the last times that we'll be meeting for the year because over the summer everyone moves on either permanently or for internships to then return again in the fall. I brought my camera to get a few snapshots to remember friends and their kids.

Here are a few of my friends with their kids. Left to right is Natalie with her daughter Cali, Caroline with her son Jackson (we babysat Jack a few times and he is such a fun kid), and Eva with her daughter Sarah.

During our year here Nate has had so many opportunities to play with other kids and make friends. I have to say, though, that I think he's a bit of a ladies man. His best friends were two little girls. Madeleine is on the left, and Catherine on the right. These two girls could make Nate light up under any circumstance. They would run around the apartments and chase each other. What was even better was that their mothers were my visiting teachers so they came over monthly and played. There was also play groups every Thursday and they were usually there for Nate to chase. I love these girls and their mothers and I will miss them terribly. Madeleine and her parents are leaving tomorrow for Dallas for an internship and Catherine and her family will be moving to Utah at the end of July and we wish them the best of luck in everything and we will always be thankful for the things that we learned from you. I think this will be hardest on Nate. He doesn't understand that they will be gone soon and it's going to be difficult to explain to him and he can't go play with "Adeline" and "Popine". I just hope that he'll only cry for a little while.
So I know that I always post pictures of Nate really similar to this but I just think he's the cutest. He had been running and chasing Catherine and Madeleine for a while before this picture was taken. He'd worked himself into a sweat.
Music group is singing for only about 20 minutes because keeping all these baby's and toddler's attention past that is nearly impossible. We always let the kids run and play while we moms visit. It's so nice to have women in similar situations to talk to. I can't believe how attached I've become to all of them in the short year that we've been here.
Here's a picture a Madeleine, one of Nate's first crushes. :) He's always got a crush no matter where we've lived. In Provo it was Arleigh, in Arizona is was Avery and Miriam and here it's been Madeleine and Catherine. I told you he was a ladies man!
Can you see how much fun he has with these girls? He's just laughing his head off here.
Nate had just caught Catherine and given her a hug. The camera didn't snap fast enough, dang it. Just pretend it's an adorable little hug between friends.
After we get home Nate usually still wants to sing. We were singing, "Itsy, Bitsy, Spider" in his room and he was just cracking up. He's learned so much and I know I've said it already but we really loved it. Thank you to all who helped us create these memories and enriched our lives just a little bit more.