Witnessed several orbs along with circling helicopters

I was in hot tub looking at the stars. Clear sky. Noticed to the NE of our town 2 helicopters in different locations circling. We have a small town airport to the NW of my loction and these lights were not near it. I then noticed a white colored orb moving between the circling helicopters. I then saw several other orbs that would move slowly, then stand still. I got out of hot tub, ran to garage where husband was working, asked him to come look. I then saw several orbs moving SW from that previous NE location with the circling helicopters. The orbs looked to be in several groupings with each grouping having several orbs in the group. All orbs were the same size and color, all glowing white, all moving in the same direction. I remember counting 12 out to my husband. I did see one that appeared to fade in then out. They continued moving south in their groups (like how planes fly in airshows) . I remember seeing 3 groupings. They were not in a line. And each group appeared to be more of a triangulation grouping with close to evenly spacing between each orb. They all headed SW almost overhead of us. You could see the stars above them as they moved very slowly. They then went into a cloud bank that was coming into the area from the West.