Goodbye New Orleans...hello.........?

Soo..most people have probably heard by now that Brian and I are moving out and moving to the Big Island of hawaii, so that I can follow my heart and a dream job of being a wilderness therapist, working with troubled youth. We are flying out at the end of August, so now we are packin' up, and heading up to NY to store our things at Bri's parents' house, and then will drive to Minnesota, and fly out from there to Hawaii. We should be in NY for 2 weeks and MN for 2 weeks. Here are our pictures of sad goodbyes to this amazing city.....
My good good friend and old co-worker Ellen and her husband. We have house sit for them and just hung out with them a ton. She is like a friend/aunt figure and who would know she'd be one of my best friends here...even with the age difference!
They took us out for a great goodbye dinner, at a French restaurant...here's delicious French Onion Soup.
Our amazing amazing church.... a white congregation of Methodists and a black congregation of Methodists mixed after the storm to form and incredibly diverse and awesome place. Most everything here is so segregated-schools, hang-outs, churches, neighborhoods--that it was so refreshing to be a part of such a diverse congregation.


Ended the night of our going away party with fried chicken from the Mexican gas station (trust me, it's amazing).
Here's the 'ol Mexican gas station.
Bri's buddies...a lot of Urban planners at our going away partaaa!

Our humble abode for rent. This was the best experience of community we have ever had, and we just love our block. I know we will not be able to recreate this wherever we go.
Sleepin on the blow-up while we pack.
Bri and the kids I babysit made our names permanent on the sidewalk of our block.
Bri's homemade deliciousness.
Last Snowball! Apparently in Hawaii, they are called "ice shaved" so we will be changing our lingo up.
Here is our landlord/husband/and Roxie...we will miss them soooo much. She is my long lost soul sister.
The kiddos I babysit.
More awesome neighbors at teh going away party they threw for us. The whole block came!
Jasin made some incredible watermelon/balsamic vinegar/feta appetizer...so good on these hot and sticky days!
Hmm....our car got smashed into by the recycling truck this week. Worst part is our neighbor ran after them, and they saw him flaggin them down and they just kept driving. hit and run. But bri called em up and now we're gettin the damages covered...woohoo!
Jose, our Honduran buddy who works for our landlord on their repairs and stuff.