Heart connections

Those of you who have broken into the world of blogging know. You know something that other people may not quite grasp. It is the amazing connections that are made on line. Some of them are fun little comments made on a few of your posts that make you smile. Some connections come when some one stumbles across your blog and finds similarities to their family or life. And some times it is just the opposite. They can't stop reading because it is so different than their life that they are intrigued. We do it too. We find blogs we "follow" because something piques our interest. Amazing photography. Really good writing. A story that we can't get enough of. It's reality entertainment at it's best! In the last year and a half I have "met" many, many people through my blog. And it has truly been a blessing. One of my desires, and prayers, has been that God would use this blog to connect me to other parents who have lost babies or are raising a special needs child. That has happened time and again. Three of the women I am in contact with don't even live in the same country as I do. It really amazes me, because I never could have imagined the connections I would be making when I started this blog! Sometimes the connections we make on line move past a comment here and there. Sometimes God brings people together through writing and it is no coincidence. There are some amazing people who have become very, very special to me through out the year or so that we have been in contact. We have read each others blogs, learned about each others lives, been challenged by one another, and have grown in friendship. What started as leaving a stranger a comment on a blog post we have appreciated has become a meaningful friendship. For a few it has moved beyond blogging to facebook chatting, emailing, calling, and then, in an amazing turn of events, even meeting face to face! How I thank God for two of these women who really mean alot to me. This past Monday I did something that was kind of out of character for me, and a bit adventurous. :) My mother in law watched my kids for the day while I left the state, traveled a couple of hours, and met "in real life" two ladies who I had only previously known from their blogs. I was the first to arrived at the decided upon Panera Bread in Indiana. My heart was beating a little bit quicker than normal as I sat at the quaint little iron table fiddling with my sunglasses. I had known these women from their writing and photos for over a year - and yet, what would it be like to see them in person? Would they be as I expected? Would I be as they hoped? Amanda arrived next and I knew her right away. We began chatting as if we met like this regularly. I was immediately struck by her genuineness. I loved when she laughed because it was such a sweet and melodic sound. Most every thing was just as I had expected. The only things different than I had expected were things you couldn't know if you weren't with some one face to face. Subtle things. The way her eyes sparkled when she talked about her girls. The ease in which we conversed. The beauty in which her faith punctuate her conversation. Next to arrive was Jackie. Yes, New Mexico Jackie. Jackie who I thought I would never have a chance to meet because really; Michigan and New Mexico. Not real promising. Jackie and I have often joked that we share a brain. It has gotten rather uncanny how many things we share in common. From the way we were raised, to our husbands being several years older than us and shaving their heads. :) We have off handedly commented a few times how amazing it would be for us to meet. Face to face. To sit down and chat for hours at a Starbucks... But given the vastly different locations on the map, we pretty much knew it wasn't going to happen. Through our correspondences we came to realize that Jackie's parents lived about four hours from me. So, plans got under way to meet half way between their house and mine when she came to visit them. It almost seemed like a dream that day. The three of us had lunch at Panera and talked non stop. Amanda's husband and girls came to pick her up for their travels back home. It was a joy to see those curly topped girls that I had read so much about! Jackie and I ended up at a Starbucks talking for a couple of hours, just as we had unsuspectingly hoped. It was one of those sweet times of sharing with out judgment and chatting like old friends. Dave called at one point to see how things were going and what time I thought I would be starting for home. I told him my plan was to leave at 3:30. "Well, honey, you can do whatever you want. I really don't care how long you stay, but it is 3:45 right now..." His reply shocked me. :) Time really flew by. I will never forget that day, and I hope there are several more like it yet to come! There is something about being with women who you have never met, but who truly know you that is just remarkable!. We blog about what is on our hearts. I don't really write how I would speak to some one who I see on a regular basis. I write about things that I can't articulate in a conversation. It's my heart. Who I am. Who I am past the surface. I think that is why so many of us find true bonds from reading blogs. We have shared, and read, each others hearts. What may be too hard to say in person freely flows from the key board. I just want to thank the wonderful people who have taken the time to comment and email. You all have an impact on my life. I always smile, and sometimes even loudly laugh (you know who you are {Sara}), when I read all of your comments. And to Amanda and Jackie, I am so glad that our "real" paths have finally crossed! Your friendships are such a gift! Oh - and I just noticed as I was looking at the pictures we took that day how very coordinated we were with out even meaning to be. :) Dark pink, black, and dark pink and black. So stylin'! :) Love you girls!