Today I was delighted to have Linda from Sundry Mourning over for lunch. She is so witty and hilarious on her blog, and I was extremely nervous that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with her in person. Luckily she is even more amazing in person and she didn’t even mind hanging out on my stained carpet and chatting over the screams of my kids.

Naturally, when you meet someone for the first time, the best way to do it is to break out in a jillion zits from forehead to chin. My body was right on the ball, and started popping them out yesterday morning in preparation for today’s big meet. It was all a part of my plan. I like meeting people for the first time looking like a big geeky pizza face so that I don’t intimidate them with my breathtakingly glorious good looks. I think it worked.

I have to say, the internet is a much better matchmaker than I had previously thought. Linda is just so dang cool, and who knows if our paths would have ever crossed if not for our blogs? I have also been spending a lot of time with Misha lately, and even though she lives almost two hours away it is so very worth the drive to go and see her. That woman is such a balm for my soul. Being around her feels so special and different, I catch myself holding my breath because I don’t want to break whatever spell causes the air around her to feel so ethereal.

When I started blogging a year and a half ago, I could never have imagined the beautiful relationships that it would bring into my life. I needed an outlet, and a community of like-minded and sympathetic friends to help me figure out this crazy life that I live. Not only do I continually get comments from extremely insightful and supportive readers, but true friendships have blossomed that fill my heart and bless me daily. I don’t know what I did before I knew Beth, a woman who understands me on the deepest level and seems to like me anyway. Or her sister Karen, who always knows what to say to lift my spirits and give me strength. All of these women have come to me as a result of my blog, each one adding something special and much-needed to my life. I have also noticed deeper bonds being created with people that I know outside of the computer, as well. Reading their blogs gives me a peek into the inner workings of their minds that I don’t necessarily get to see during a regular old play date.

Sometimes, blogging feels like a chore. A lot of the time I feel like I have nothing interesting to say. There have been several days when I want to just erase myself from internet-land altogether, and just walk away from this crazy hobby. But on days like that, I start to think about the community of wonderful people that I have created here. And I realize what a terribly painful loss that would be. So thanks, Mr. Internet, for introducing me to all the wonderful and amazing people who are now permanent fixtures in my life. I couldn’t have done it without you.