Freaking out - Moving with kids

I feel like an emotional wreak as its started... the tears, mainly from my 7 year old have started. Her small group of friends is her world.... 'her family', as she keeps telling me, and now its January and the move is this year... she can't cope!
I can't cope with her not coping!
I feel so dreadful for dragging her away from the 'loves of her life'. Okay I know, I know... she will get over it and adjust and forget this life... but right now I feel like we are being terribly unkind! I want to cry :( actually I am crying.
I don't really have a clue how to make this okay but I am researching. So far I am toying with the following ideas to ease the move:
- Throwing a slumber party for each daughter (my son is only 2 so is not worried). They invite their 5 best friends and have a party night all about them. Children asked to bring a photo of themselves for the scrapbook along with contact details. We have an instant camera, so take lots of pics to keep and to give to their friends.
- Leaving party for all our friends and family. Food, drink, disco. Have a guestbook so friends can write messages mainly for the kids. Have an address book so we can make sure our friends details are up to date.
- They both have cameras and are being encouraged to take photos which will be added to the scrap book.
- When we leave to go to the hotel (where we will stay the night before we fly) the kids will be presented with plastic champagne flutes with appetiser to drink and a surprise bag with fun bits to do and read. At the hotel we will take them for a swim, have a nice dinner and take a bunch of silly pics for the scrap book.
- When we arrive I want to enrol them in classes quickly so they meet kids and are kept busy.
- I have exploratory fun activities planned and have formed a list of things around Chicago that I want to do with them at some stage in the year.
- As we have to homeschool at least to start with I have found a group to join as soon as we move!

I did not end this post as we got busy moving, and HAVE now moved. From the above I did:

let each girl have a slumber party with besties. They made a canvass together with decorated hand prints and messages, that the girls now have hanging in their rooms.

My 7 year old also invited all her class to a soft play date a week before we moved, about half the class turned up for one final play together! Some brought gifts and she felt very special.

My 12 year old had a 'photo booth' leaving party with buffet, camera and silly outfits. They took about 200 pics and had a great time. She also was spoilt by friends with unexpected leaving gifts.

We did not gussy up the trip to the hotel for the night before, but we did have a nice meal with my sister in law at the hotel (she helped drive down with all our luggage).

I did buy magazines and activities for the plane, but they were actually excited at this point for the adventure ahead (no that was not the end of the tears, but we had a moment peace). 

Next for our arrival.