Saying good-bye to the Hammond girls - July 20th

Carissa, Ryan, Sydney, Zoe and Breece

Amber playing on the teeter totter with Carissa

I first met the Hammond's when they moved back to Michigan from Australia and she was pregnant with Sydney, their oldest. Ryan was just a 1 1/2 year old when Sydney was born. A few months later we moved into the house right next door. Amber was always there, when I needed someone to talk to and they were wonderful neighbors. She was such an encouragement when Curt was going to job transitioning and also during our long journey of adoption. We moved away for a couple of years and when we came back in 2004, we picked up our friendship as if we had never been away (even though we didn't get to spend as much time together). During this past year, God has been leading their family to another area and they recently moved to Colorado. We had one last Pizza Hut lunch with her and the girls then we went to a park to play. We will miss them greatly but know that God will use them both greatly in Colorado. Who know, they may be back here in Michigan in a few years like we did.