One family down, six to go...

Boys l- r: Aaron C, Doug W, Brett B, Jeff N, Justin W, Nate S, Lee A

Girls l- r: Jess C, Me, Kim B, Marissa N, Emily S, Lanie W, Ginger A

Today we said good-bye to the first of our friends who are graduating and moving on. Let's call them "El Norte's*." The El Norte's moved to San Francisco at the same time we did into the building next door. A few weeks later, their first daughter, Sadie, was born.

Hailey followed a little later and is the same age as Samuel.

Since that time, we (that would be me and Dug**), the Norte's, and five other couples have become great friends. We all moved into the same housing so our husbands could attend either Dental or Medical school at UCSF, we all have kids close to the same age, and all attend the same church. We've traded babysitting, gossip, toys, clothes, germs and recipes. We've hunted for lost kids together, shopped, explored the city, and played together. Our kids have grown up for the last four years together. They know their "Aldea" friends better than their cousins.

We're going to miss them!

Marissa and Sadie

Sadie and Maxwell

*Names have been changed to protect the innocent. **Grammar has not been changed because I'm lazy.