I have come to realize, through experiences of my own as well as watching my parents and other friends' relationships; that true friends, with whom you can bare your soul, to are hard to find. Last night Justin and I said goodbye to two such friends and we will miss them dearly. Now as much as this first statement sounds like they have died, fortunately they have not- they have just moved two states away for at least the next 2 years. It seems now however, that we have lost a huge part of our lives and will have to learn to adjust to the absence of our close friends. Wes and Justin became close a few years ago while Justin was working nights and living with Aaron and Tricia. He claims that at that point Wes was his only link to the outside world. I was away at school for the weekdays, and all of Justin's other friends were either in school or at work during the days. Justin, though very outgoing and willing to share his thoughts, really has a guarded heart, and Wes was able to open that up and became a trusted friend that Justin counted on for support and accountability. As a couple we became much closer with Wes and Melanie after they got married and then began helping us lead the Jr.-Sr. high school youth group every Wednesday evening. They were a HUGE blessing for these kids and us. They came at a time when we needed them most- I was 7 months pregnant with Morganne, and knew we would need some time off for a while. Little did we know that with kidney stone complications- we would need them even more with the kids. And the kids absolutely LOVED Wes and Melanie. As a couple and as individuals they are easy to open up to and trust and this is exactly what these kids needed. They were also willing to give of themselves completely, devoting their time and energy to help these kids and other church members during times of need.
They are moving back down to Tennessee so that Wes can finish his college degree at Johnson Bible College. He was within a few semesters of finishing when he was moved to come home and care for his ailing mother, who has since passed from a long bout with ALS. This just shows a bit of Wes' caracter. Melanie came to Indiana on a whim, not knowing anyone really at the time, even though she and Wes actually went to Johnson together originally. She is from Tennessee. Wes proposed while on a 9 month mission trip to China, via the internet. Quirky for sure- but it suited them, and they are a perfect match. Melanie and I have become very close over the past few months. It is very rare that you have such close friends that you would let them see your house at its absolute dirtiest- and with 2 dogs, busy schedules, and a baby- ours gets dirty fast! But, they never hesitated to come over and we have shared many meals, nights watching Amazing Race and Wipeout, and eating ice cream and chocolate chip cookies. Wes and Melanie loved Morganne and all of our animals- a feat that is sometimes hard to ask of in friends.
They are committed to being in Knoxville for at least 1.5-2 years, but something tells me they may not be back here for a long time. They have a passion for Christ that is hard to match, and they have the desire to go where called without hesitation. We are excited for them to say the least but are dealing with selfish heartache for ourselves. Hopefully we can meet up with them for vacations occasionally and keep the friendships close with the help of the internet and phone. They are very much loved and will be missed by many of us here. We wish them the best!
