a tribute and a tributary

Many times our plans do not work out the way we expect them to. As we chart our course downstream, we sometimes get unwillingly and unexpectedly shuffled off down a tributary we were trying to avoid.

We had that happen to our plans when we came here to Tucson.

But, had we not taken that tributary, we would not have met Dale and Candi.

Since Diane and I have been married, our family has gotten to be close friends with several other families. We do, of course, have many people that we consider our friends. We are very likeable and we really do enjoy people and care deeply about most all of the people we have met. But, sometimes our whole family ends up clicking with a person, a couple or another family and they become a very important part of our lives.

Dale and Candi and their family have become this in our lives.

Dale has been away with the military for nearly a year and last week the rest of the family moved on to their next duty station.

We were all very sad to see them go, but we are equally glad that the tributary that we were shuffled down let us get to know them.

So, Dale and Candi and the kids, thanks for joining the exclusive group of Allerton Family Best Friends. It is a lifetime membership.

And for the rest of you:
When you do end up going in a direction you didn't plan and maybe didn't want, keep your eyes open. You might find something good about it....maybe even some new lifelong friends.