...to Tom & Anna Hunt and Jon Love...

Usually, I don't post a response to someone else's blog(s) on MY blog unless it's something important.

This is.

Tom is moving to Kansas City. He got himself a brand-spankin'-new job there. He and Anna are having to uproot their very lives. Jon is having his best friend move to another city. Several other people from Ye Olde Town of Springfield are effected by this as well.

I've never really had to make a choice like that; to move away from from friends and family. Not for the forseeable long-term, anyway. So I can't really say, "I hear ya, man." to Tom. But I can say, "I'm here FOR you, man."

Both Tom and Jon don't really realize their position with me; and I never really explained it too well. This is an appropriate time.

These two men are my BOYS from Springfield. I'm not as tight-knit as they are, but they took me in anyway, and made me realize a little better that being my odd and different self was actually pretty cool. Somehow, those two let me in on the deal. I never once felt out of place around them; they always included me as best they could. I was upset that I didn't have just two more openings in my wedding party - they would have been filled by Tom and Jon, no question. (That's the honest truth.) Tom included me in his wedding as an usher, which was an extreme honor. They drove in for my barbeques, my bachelor party, and my wedding.

I can't - and don't - claim to be fully 'one' with their posse, but I never had to. They treated me like I was all the same.

@Jon: I'm still going to come down to Springfield, for swords and drinking with you. All this event does is change the scope of the game a bit; we'll have three cities instead of two to jump between. Email me, and we'll set it up now that warm weather is setting in.

@Tom: First and foremost, extreme congratulations on the job! That news made me happy, both for you and in general. I like to hear when good things are happening to "my people." Second, I will definitely be making some treks up to Kansas City to visit. Heather loves road trips, and so do I.

@Anna: You've always been a good friend and person to me. We're not uber-close, heck, not really at all, but if you ever would need a friend I'm here for you as well.

Good luck to you all, my dear friends. I've got your back in St. Louis, Springfield, or even across the country.