What I'll miss the most

We made it to Atlanta! I cried during takeoff but I got it together by the time we reached cruising altitude. My aunt really put it in perspective when she said "Austin holds sweet memories, Atlanta new adventures."

We flew out at ten this morning, but my heart and my stomach are still full from last night. In our last 24 hours in our beloved city, we had our final "Everything's Bigger in Texas" party. Rudy's catered, Lala's did on-site snow cones (my favorite!), we rented our furniture from Birch and Brass, and we hired my dear friend Logan to snap photos of our guests. Get a load of this amazing photobooth: 

I have the kind of friends who, when I say, "Let's do a pyramid!" they only hesitate for a moment before obliging my crazy ideas. 

Logan Pearce, queen / director of the party photobooth. This woman challenges me to be less self-centered. She has truly shown me how a woman can be strong yet vulnerable. 

Imogen, my favorite two year old teenage girl. 

We were new to City Life church, and one week in Luke and Miranda Dodson had us over for dinner and asked us hard, real questions. 

I found out I was pregnant with Caroline around the same time Mary found out she was expecting Elliott. I've loved spending time with this sweet family and Mary innately "gets" me and understands my headspace, even when I can't verbalize what I'm thinking.

Joy, Jude, Bella, and Ada. Between the four of them, I think they ate 20 snow cones. 

Laura and Dane Gudde. Love these fine folks. Dane and I are always scheming up ways to be millionaires. It's going to happen!

The Olsons! I'm so glad that I can say that I knew Kayla way before she became a world famous author. Best selling YA series in the pipeline, y'all!

FTW does NOT stand for F The World, by the way!

Hands down the best neighbors and friends a family could ask for. ER visits, births, hand me downs. I'm having a hard time imaging life without being walking distance away from the Peschels. 

I feel like I have a heart shaped Heidi hole in my heart. A place just small enough for her zany brand of humor and generous soul.

The Cooks // I love knowing that no matter what, I always have Ali in my corner praying for me and my family. 

The Landau twins (not really twins) and The Graves. I can't even count how many parties we've done together and how many laughs we've shared over the years. 

A handful of my old Mosaic friends. These folks in this photo have known me the longest out of all our ATX friends. Before kids, before my blog. I feel like they witnessed me and my marriage and my family grow in incredible ways. 

Heidi was one of the very first adults Jude ever met. I didn't know he'd be born with long nails, so Heidi came over with some baby nail clippers. They have such a sweet relationship.

A boy, a boat, and a bro with a beard. 

James used to be our roommate. When I think about how strange that must have been for him, I commend him for sticking it out in House Adams for as long as he did. 

These people. xxoo

This is how I feel right now. 

The McGees have recently joined the three kiddo club. I'm going to miss my frank conversations with Robin whilest hiding out in the nursing room at church.

Future Augustinis! I entrust the eastside to your care, you gorgeous homeschooled couple, you.

I wanted to call Lau my favorite Frenchie, but that just sounded weird. Love this couple and I have been so blessed by their unflinching love for my messy life and kids.

For the last five years, every single week, I've had dinner with the folks in my City Group. My biggest hope is that I can find friends in Atlanta that love my family and love the Lord like this dynamic group of people. 

The Huskeys are a force! Getting equipped in ministry to go gang busters in California. West coast love!

The Lovelaces are one of the most genuine families I've ever met. Best of all they have family out this way they visit 3x a year. We'll be seeing them again soon!

Our boys celebrated their first birthdays together and our youngest girls are also the same age. Kristin is often my voice of reason and a sounding board for my mothering questions.

Newbie east siders! I love this adorable family. Evan reminds me so much of Jude, and they share a love for all things space and trains.

Souza and I got to really, really know each other after she joined the TxSC team in 2013. She's also helping me launch a new project, hopefully in the winter of this year. 

This guy. Oh, man, Jason has been such a blessing to our family. He's always the first one to volunteer to do the stuff no one else is enthusiastic about doing. I'm going to miss his infectious laugh!

I mean, that's just adorable. Jude has spent all of his life with these kids and they've treated him like a friend and a brother.

Will and Jenni Lafferty need their own how-to show. Have you ever met people that are good at everything they do? That's this family. I admire the way they parent and their steadfast dependability and love. They're truly an inspiration to me. 

Jena is one of the best listeners that I know, and she's also the president of the most thoughtful gift society. I had to avoid her all night so that I wouldn't start bawling every time we'd make eye contact.

The Talberts are taking over the eastside city group, and I'm just bummed that we aren't around to be led by them. This couple exzudes fun and love, and if I weren't so attached to Caroline, I'd give her to them. 

I don't know if there is another person who has had as much as a profound affect on the path that my life took as Filkins. I never wanted to be a mother until God used Filky's love for moms and kids to soften my heart toward all that. And look at me now. 

For five years we did life alongside the Oakes, having a baby every other October, meeting up multiple times a week for breakfast and dinner. My life is sweeter because of them, and I'm so thankful God allowed my family's story to become intwined with theirs. 

We came to Austin as a man and a woman with a dismal outlook on marriage and life. We leave as a family of five, our marriage redeemed by the grace of God through our friends in this city.

[Photos by Logan Pearce | see full album here]

More than Pluckers, more than my favorite shops, and more than my house, I'll miss my friends in Austin the most. God has used our relationships in Austin to grow us and bless us beyond measure. I pray that we can find friends who love the city and love the Lord and love our family like these amazing people do. Oh, gosh. My eyeballs are starting to sting again. Must! Make! Joke!

Can we all go get matching "Texas forever" tattoos now? 

/ / / / / / / / / / 

COMMENT OF THE DAY: 

“...while I totally understand how friends made the top of the list, I hope they understand how special that is when Plucker’s queso was under consideration as well.”

— ChrystinaNoel