i spent an amazing weekend with two amazing women that are essential components of my blogging community. WHAT A precious gift to have them enter my world… sit on my couch. sleep in my apartment. ride in my car. eat my food. oh i LOVED it.
and, i really genuinely totally completely utterly am convinced that i’ll never be the same.
standing in the airport, waiting and waiting (AND WAITING!!!!) for them was excruciating. i was crossing the line… i was fast becoming one of those “well… we’re internet friends” kinds of people. was this what e-harmony felt like? blind dates? i kept watching the entrances, knowing Alece would come from my left and Cathi would come from my right. and i could only HOPE that i’d recognize them. would they recognize me? were they gonna be weird? talk funny? act funny? Alece has spent the past ten years doing mission work in South Africa – who knows if she even shaves her armpits! i needed to be prepared for such surprises…
i met both of them within 5 seconds of each other and that was ONE HECK of an adrenaline rush. alece ran through the entire airport to beat Cathi by 5 seconds. she practically knocked me down because she ran right into me with an accosting hug. then HID because Cathi was coming up behind me. it was insanity.
of course, we recognized each other IMMEDIATELY. their faces were already so familiar to me. we each shook like crazy from the nerves and excitement. they both attacked me at the airport with hugs that i will never forget and the three of us talked and laughed incessantly for the next two and a half days.
i could read alece’s face with each expression, and nothing cathi said really surprised me. i knew them. even though we were meeting for the first time, i already knew them.
this weekend i tangibly experienced the reality of this community. since i started blogging, i’ve been happily overtaken by the relationships of this blog world.
there are so many of you that i’m hoping to meet, and this weekend has confirmed the fact that if i love the YOU that i’ve met here, and if that’s the REAL you, then i’m gonna LOVE you even more after meeting you.
these relationships… they are real.
I so know what you mean. God is so good!!
OKay, now take your trip back to FL:)
OMGosh I am so super happy!! I had the BIGGEST smile on my face while reading this. BIGGEST! I have goosebumps. For reals yo. Seriously. ACK!!!
WOW… I got goosebumps too.
I cannot wait to hear the rest.
How many posts will you do today.. because I won’t be able to sleep.. (k, I lied)
But I’m so happy for you all 3. I just want to hear.
This is the best line: and, i really genuinely totally completely utterly am convinced that i’ll never be the same.
I am so happy for you.
y’all know my brain was churning all throughout the weekend. and i have a few more moments that i want to share with you.
and of COURSE another video or two.
WELL GET ON IT SISTER!!
heehee
I’m sorry. I’m praying for patience.
LOL!!!!
we’ll get through all of it. and y’all will probably be SICK of hearing about it once we’re done!
I am soooo happpyyyy that you did it….That you have crossed that line of reality. Is it as awesome as I know it will be?
I am soooooo excited now to go on my journey!
I understand the “internet friend” thing. I have people here that think I am crazy not only for choosing to go to Oklahoma but choosing to go and meet people that I don’t “really” know. I have one friend that is “gonna come search basements” if I don’t come home.
I am soooo excited for you. What a great way to spend a weekend!!!
THIS is awesome. Incredibly. Yes. No let down expectations … rather ‘more than you could ask or think’. Yes. Awesome. I, too, was smiling the whole way through.
annie: we all agreed that the phrase “exceeded expectations” was most accurate in describing the weekend. totally…. you hit it.
cool.
Mandy,
very cool! I had the privilege of meeting several folks I know from blogworld and TheWorshipCommunity.Com at the Willow Arts Conference, and the National Worship Leader Conference … but even then, it’s not like having that kind of quality time together!
Fred
Yup.
I have met two blog friends (Anne Jackson & Crystal Renaud) and am about to meet another (Theresa Trotter).
So excited. So dang excited.
Know this feeling from when Darla and Scott came out…wonderful! Hope to meet you one day Mandy Pants!
“would they recognize me? were they gonna be weird? talk funny? act funny?”
…uhhhhh….yes, yes, yes and, heavens to betsy YES!!!
miss you muchly!!!
So, um, does Alece shave her pits or what?
I heard she doesn’t.
Oh wait. I lived with her for a week.
Let me tell you……..
she likes the European approach.
That was a complete and utter LIE.
She shaves.
oh, this reminds me of a recent conversation!
did someone say something about velcro?
Becca: she does shave. i checked.
Cathi: did someone say something about velcro?
[is there an echo in the room?]
Three amazing women spending the weekend together. I can’t wait to hear more, and see, more.
I can only IMAGINE what velcro pertains too.
Brazillian and velcro for some reason I think are related, no?
hahahahaha!!!!
becca, you are a punk.
and bran muffin, you have a one-track mind, girl!
LOL!!!
um….
no.
velcro has something to do with changing baby diapers, but i’m still not sure what. and i don’t think they know either. i thought it was to velcro the baby to the changing table. but that just doesn’t seem right. it was another snap shot of a late night laughing moment. oh we had LOTS of those!!
ALECE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
three young marrieds with no babies talkin’ ’bout baby diapers…. hmmm…..
HEY!
hmmmm
Bwan: don’t read into it too much! babysitting came up, then my LACK of babysitting, then my total inexperience with changing diapers. never done it. cathi mentioned something about velcro thinking it would make things better… but i still don’t know what she was getting at!
What is Alece doing over here? ….. she has a blog too… Actually I think Brandy and I have taken it over. She’ll be so mad at us. Heee heee
oh boy… then i better stay away! good night ladies!!!!!
And miss all the fun???
She’s probably writing her post.. which will be incredible like yours and Cathi were.
Bwan: don’t read into it too much!
heehee
It was wishful thinking on my end!
Yes they are real indeed!
I mean only those who have actually experienced it can truly know…but yes, real friendships, real love, real tears, real life.
I love my met on the net friends! I am about to fly to Texas to meet some more of them! I can’t wait!
SOOOOOOO happy for you! YAY!
The last line of this post struck me and i got to thinking… (a VERY dangerous habit i have)…
I know the relationships you three shared this wekend were SO very real and utterly amazing…
but consider this…
All three of you are the people you all are in the airport.
How amazing a time you all shared because of your meeting and uniting as ‘one’ for that time.
imagine if you could have just as an amazing time with Cathi and Alece if you had never met before that moment – just because of the people you ARE before you ‘met’…??
And then imagine what sort of time you COULD have with any single one or group of the people you passed by almost completely ignroing at the airport…bus station… grocery store… sidewalk…. every second of life …???
ALL the people you meet are waiting to be explored and loved as much as Cathi and Alece were.
Something to think about – for all of us??
<B
YAY!!!! you are now in my world…we don’t understand how GOd does it all..but I know HE has orchestrated each friendship here, and then provides for us to meet..sort of like walking by faith and not by sight…God is radical Good!!! I love you Mandy!!! I am so happy for you and alece, and Cathi…a little jealous…but hey maybe next time!
Hey Mandy! first comment over here. let me just say, you rock! and haha did you ever find out if alece shaved her pits? hehe.
Hannah!! welcome to the family!
i’m hoping your xanga site will let me in. and, yes, alece DEFINITELY shaves her armpits! HAHA
Darla: i know.
love… you’re killin’ me.
I loved reading this!! I have to confess that my hubby and I gave Alece her fair share of harassment for traveling to meet who we called strangers… but you said it well in this post… you guys are/were far from strangers… and seeing how God brought you together through blogesphere… well, it’s awesome. Kuddos to you guys for crossing that giant barrier from screen to screen to face to face. Wow…
Amy: and i’m sure y’all did a decent background check on me. as any good friend would do! i mean, only crazy people do this, right???? alece is a brave one! and i’m SO glad she came!
OK…you’ve answered my question…she IS an American, armpits and all!
This is amazing. I want to have these experiences…someday…hopefully.
Crazy people are the best people to know!
im not pouting anymore.
much.
flights from oregon to boston can’t be THAT expensive…. i have a couch just for you!
now i’m the one pouting.
and that couch IS AAAHHH-MAZING!
rub it in stegall
Mandy you jump on the flight to Tam and then I will start a collection to get Heidi up there too. I know she would just scream to be with you both.
i’m definitely thinking we need a lady blogger conference thingy…
amazing how the blog world works and how many cool people you get to meet. i love the diversity.
i will never forget that hug.