When friends move

I think we've all been through this on one side of it or the other, or if your like me you've been through way too many times. What? moving away or being left behind. In our lives these days moving across the country seems to be the norm for families anymore. No longer are the days of getting a job that lasts your life time and you raise your family in one town. So we all have either left friends and loved ones behind, or been left by those who've had to go. 
On the 31st we had good friends move away, it's almost at this point epidemic in my life time. For my children though it's been particularly tough. What I'm grateful for is that for them, electronic devises keep things simple and my hope is they will not loose their friends, but only grow and have more friends. ;-) 
On moving day, just hours before the driving away, we took a few minutes and captured the 'crew'. These kids have been wonderful to and for each other, they keep each other out of trouble, grown in their spiritual lives, wrote and played music, shopped, movies, game nights, sleep overs. The gamut of what you do when your a kid and free to live life with great friends.
Two are now gone to their new lives, and 3 are here to regroup and find a way to fill the void. This photograph I hope will keep them remembering the great times and how good they all were and will be for each other. Friendships do not have to end due to distance anymore, no waiting for a hand written letter for days, weeks, months to get across the country. A simple 30 sec text and push send is all they have to do to say hello, and keep up with each other. I'm so grateful because these are great kids, I'll miss the days they spent together.