Twenty-two years ago Jeff and I had just celebrated our first wedding anniversary and were settling in to married life in Fayetteville, N.C., near Ft. Bragg. As a private in the Army, Jeff’s paycheck didn’t quite pay the bills and since I had dropped out of college to join him without finishing my teaching degree, my employment options were limited. I ended up taking a job as a nursery attendant in a fancy health club called The Sports Center.

At the end of my shift one night I struck up a conversation with a lifeguard named Michiyo Gilpin whose children had been in my care in the nursery. Aya, not quite 2, stole my heart immediately with her quiet demeanor, sweet smile and head full of loose ringlets. I fell in love with her 3-year-old brother Tim, too — a bundle of energy who swiped his mother’s racquetball racquet and sneaked into an open court to hit balls any time he got a chance.

Pretty soon Michiyo, her Air Force husband Jeff, their kids, my husband Jeff and I began spending most of our free time together — either at The Sports Center playing racquetball or wallyball or at one of our homes hanging out watching a ball game or a movie.

We quickly became family. The Gilpins provided valuable support for us when I underwent testing and surgery to remove a brain tumor and the kids began treating us like an aunt and uncle.

Having developed a strong bond of sisterhood, Michiyo and I became almost inconsolable when our Jeffs received transfer orders at nearly the same time just less than two years after we first met. Although we promised to keep in touch and remain friends, I remember wondering if we would end up losing touch when we went our separate ways.

By the time Jeff left the Army after our tour in Alaska, the Gilpins had been transferred to San Angelo, Texas, so at the top of our agenda when we hit the contiguous 48 states was a visit to Texas where we enjoyed spending time with the older Tim and Aya.

When the Gilpins left Texas to head for their next duty station in Virginia, their itinerary included a stop at our house in Kentucky and a few years later we headed to Virginia two years in a row to attend the kids’ high school graduations.

Their father retired from the Air Force, but Tim decided a few years ago to serve our country by joining the Army. Jeff and I were honored when Tim visited us en route to one of his assignments, so when he was about to ship out to Iraq and asked us to meet him in Virginia for a visit, we packed up our kids and made the trip.

After two tours in Iraq and some time at Ft. Hood, Tim has been reassigned to Ft. Knox for a few weeks before heading to Afghanistan.

We were thrilled when he called the day after he arrived at Ft. Knox to say he wanted to visit us. Our kids began developing a relationship with Tim as quickly as we had; Abby cried when Tim left after his first weekend with us and all three of them had trouble containing their excitement when we told them he’d be coming again the following weekend.

He has teased and tickled Abby, thrown a football with Nat, kicked a soccer ball with Chris, and accompanied Jeff and the boys on fishing trips. I’ve enjoyed cooking for him and sharing memories from the past, as well as having him tell me all about his new wife, Kim, who will join him at Ft. Knox when he returns from Afghanistan.

Since he’s shipping out for Afghanistan the week after Thanksgiving, the Gilpins and the kids’ in-laws will be celebrating in Virginia. Jeff and I unfortunately won’t be able to make the trip, but we learned this week we will have a celebration here just before Thanksgiving; Aya, Tim’s sister, and her family plan to visit us en route to Virginia from New Mexico.

I realize our visits with the Gilpins will taper off again after Tim leaves for Afghanistan, but they won’t stop forever; our families have a bond that will stand the test of time and distance.

Contact Alisa Maysey at alisamaysey(at)yahoo.com