Blog Friends & Roanoke Meet-up

Sam & I with Ashley and Luke on Friday

As I mentioned on Friday, this past week I got to meet my blog-friend Ashley (from The Pollock Potluck) and her little guy Luke for this first time in real life.  It was so fun and so easy - truly, it felt like we were just regular old friends who have known each other forever meeting for lunch and a play-date.  I loved it!

I hope she won't write me off as a total creeper friend for saying this, but even though we had never officially "met," before Friday, I have considered Ashley one of my good friends for a while.  (Let me be honest for a second, if you would have told me three years ago that I would consider someone I only knew via the internet a good friend - I would have laughed in your face and made fun of people "like that." Things change.) 

Anyway, Ashley was one of the very first "strangers" to start reading (and commenting) on my blog (I think she found it through a friend of a friend sometime in early 2010).  Subsequently, I started reading her blog, and we immediately connected because we were both teachers, "newlyweds," and fur-baby parents. ;)  

Our friendship went to a new level of closeness in the winter of 2011 when we both announced we were pregnant with our first baby (I vividly remember the day she announced it - I was SO excited), and then again when we both became "boy moms" less than three weeks apart that summer... 

Our boys hit it off right away

As I've said before, I don't have a lot of mom-friends in this area; so, the blogging community has served a very important function as an outlet and support-system for me in the almost two years since Sam was born.  Ashley is one of the first people I think about when I realize I how grateful I am for that community.  Not only do we know tons about each other because we both over share blog, but we also email regularly and stay in touch that way too.  Of course our journeys through these first years of motherhood have not been exactly the same, but I have appreciated SO much having someone who can relate to some of my struggles, answer questions, and offer encouragement along the way. 

All that to say, again, I LOVE this place.  I feel like I have real friendships with so many of you guys!! And, honestly, I wonder sometimes how I ever would have survived the transition to motherhood without this community.

It was such a treat to get to meet Ashley and Luke and - finally - get to watch our boys play together.  I hope it will be the first of many visits to come! (We're pretty much going to be the next Sherry & Katie or Erin & Nina.  You ok with that Ashley? Haha!)  

In conclusion, I'd love to get to meet more of you in real life!!!  In fact, I'm going to get crazy here for a minute...

If you live in the Roanoke/ SW Virginia area, would you consider coming to a little blogger meet-up if I planned it?  (Heck, even if you don't live in the area!)  If so, leave a comment or shoot me an email!  Let's make this thing happen!

I'm thinking we all meet at the Target snack bar, buy our kids lots of junk food, and stroll the aisles aimlessly for six+ hours.... Or just come to my house for wine and cheese! Either one.

What do you think?

One more thing: Whether you are local or not, I really do want to KNOW you too.  It really isn't fair for you to know all my deep dark secrets and I only know your avatar photo. ;)   Anyway, if you have a blog, will you please leave your web address below for me too?  Thanks friends!

I love you all!

 

P.S. Midweek Confessions link-up on Wednesday?  (Another great way to meet new blog-friends!)