The Crossroads district skyline was perfect from the rooftop of Thou Mayest Coffee Roasters. It was the exact spot I had been dreaming about for our farewell get together in Kansas City. The sky had soft streaks of blue & pink that evening & the Missouri sun decided to give us a nice break for a cool, summer night with friends. I took a million mental photographs of that night, while Shelby took actual photos. Each face that made its way to the top of the building meant something to me & held the weight of significance.
A few weeks later, after we packed up all of our belongings & drove across the Midwest back to Michigan, we found ourselves in Grand Rapids. We met with old familiar faces, the ones we've known for countless years, & crowded a corner of Founders Brewing Co. on a rainy Saturday night. It was good to see these people before making our move overseas. It was like a sigh a of relief, a final closure, making us brave & sure about the next steps we were about to take.
Both gatherings lasted long into the evening. Our friends passed around a little book to sign their goodbye notes in, & afterwards, we all grabbed our cars to hang out even longer at a second spot. I caught Dan's eye several times during those evenings & we both smiled knowingly. We're ready for this now, for the uncertain road that's unraveling before us. We've got nothing but a new blank canvas waiting & beckoning once more.