Making friends

While on this trip I've had an awesome opportunity to meet with other like minded mamas who live far far away from me. I belong to a online community of women at Mothering .com .

It began nearly 3 years ago when I got pregnant and joined a Due Date Club where all the mamas involved were due in the same month. I found MDC to be a great source of information, support and encouragement. It was really great how we mamas bonded over the experience of pregnancy with all it's joys and sorrows.

When the time came to give birth we all waited with excitement to cheer and cry over our birth stories. Some women ended up with amazing inspirational tales to share, while others were dissapointed and heartbroken by how their births progressed. Regardless, we all had a place to come to where we could share in an honest and very real way.

The group has changed a lot over time, mamas that I knew well at one time faded from the group and new mamas joined bringing fresh perspectives and interests. Since Mielle was born I have had A LOT less time to get online, but I still always find time to reconnect with the other Mamas online.

While I have been here in Georgia I had the opportunity to meet one of these women face to face. After chatting online for over a year or more we got to meet for the first time last week. We met at a Zoo and wandered around looking at animals and admiring each other's children. After a fun but hectic lunch where the children outnumbered the adults, we went our separate ways.

It's weird meeting someone like this, who you already know, but may click with, or may... not. However, we found ourselves thinking of all the conversations left unfinished, and dubbed one another "kindred spirits".

I soon contacted her asking if she wanted to meet again before I left town,and she agreed to drive 2 full hours to come hang out with my sister and I. (What a trooper!) So today I got to spend more time with my new old friend. We snacked on yummy foods with kids running about under foot. After a group nursing session and much sharing of crackers, we put little girls to sleep for naps one by one. Once things quieted down, we talked about all sorts of things and started a craft project together.

I found myself thinking that if only she lived near me, we could totally be buddies. It's really neat to think about how this will enrich our online friendship. Getting to know her better has been a highlight of this trip for me, I hope that over time we will meet again and again and watch as our daughters grow into young women.