Oh, y’all. I can’t even tell you how much fun I had with Melanie and Shannon this past weekend. We talked, we ate, we laughed, we ate, we shopped, we ate, we blogged, we ate, we drank diet Coke, we ate.
You may be noticing a bit of a pattern.
Tonight I was talking to my friend Daphne, and she asked me if it felt even a little bit strange to finally meet the girls in person. I told her what I will now tell you: it wasn’t even the teensiest bit weird for me. Although for the first couple of minutes after I picked up Melanie at the airport I kept having to mentally pinch myself because HEY, WE ARE NOT JUST TALKING ON THE PHONE! LOOK! SHE IS REAL! I COULD TOUCH HER ARM IF I WANTED TO! BUT THAT MIGHT FRIGHTEN HER! LOOK! MY WORD! HER HAIR IS STUNNING!
(Seriously. Y’all have no idea about Melanie’s hair. Really. She has totally been holding out on the internet by not sharing the fabulousness that is her hair. In fact, it is so great that this afternoon I actually had the semi-serious thought that Mel could really minister to all of us by creating some sort of hair discipleship program. If she would let the internets walk with her during an average hair week, let us see how she navigates her daily hair challenges, let us see the source of her hair comfort during those tough hair times, I really feel like the Lord would honor that.)
(Because He has quite literally placed an anointing on her head.)
(I am going to pray that she would be faithful to her higher hair calling.)
And that Shannon – I’ll tell you what. When Melanie and I finally got to pick her up a little bit later Friday afternoon, it really did feel like we had known her our whole lives. Shannon is not just sassy, she is SASSY!, and she is also funny as all get out and SMART AS A WHIP. Because did I mention that she does CROSSWORD PUZZLES FOR FUN?
I’m still trying to wrap my head around that last thing.
The three of us talked a lot yesterday about how blogging can only show so much of a person, about how there are some pretty significant chunks of our lives that we don’t blog about for the sake of sanity and privacy. Since Melanie and I have been working on a project together for the last seven or eight months, we’ve tackled a lot of those real-life, would-never-blog-about-it-but-oh-my-word-how-do-I-handle-this situations, and as Shannon shared some things along those lines with us yesterday, I was reminded that while yes, the blogosphere can be fun and wonderful and encouraging and edifying, it can never, ever replace the joy of real-life, face-to-face relationships.
Because while I love to read Melanie’s and Shannon’s blogs, if push came to shove I’d happily trade reading their blogs for being able to sit with them in a barbecue place and hear about God’s faithfulness during some incredibly difficult times in their lives.
Or for hanging out with them in a Mexican restaurant and laughing until we wheezed and / or wet our pants.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: real-life trumps blog-life. Every single time.
So yes, we had a blast. And no, it wasn’t strange at all to spend the weekend together. In fact, it was delightful. And I guess if anything at all caught me off-guard this weekend, it’s how sad I was when I dropped Shannon and Melanie off at the airport this morning, how much I have missed them all day long, and how I wish like crazy that they lived closer.
(I’m now feeling a strange urge to embed a clip of “Friends Are Friends Forever.” It’s just like junior high, only now I’m old. SOMEBODY STOP ME.)
And slowly but surely, I’m easing back into normal life, the life where I had to put Alex in time out for swinging a plastic baseball bat AT THE DOGS and then all his grandparents arrived this afternoon and I took Martha and Mama to Steinmart and then came home and made soup and cornbread and changed the sheets and washed a bunch of clothes and thought about how I needed to be editing the podcast but it wasn’t really a great time what with all the company, and seriously, would you want to be the one to tell Martha that you can’t take her to Steinmart because you have to edit a podcast?
I didn’t think so.
But please remind me to tell you the story about Martha trying on jackets and coats at Steinmart this afternoon.
It is not to be believed.
So that makes two Steinmart(s) visits…or is it three, in the span of less than a week, eh?
I’m thinking we may have to do an intervention here.
Because not only do YOU have this addiction, which has CLEARLY been passed on to you genetically by both Mama and vicariously through Martha, but you yourself have now become a Steinmart(s) pusher in the form of Shannon and Melanie.
And I do believe there may or may not be laws against people crossing state lines to be pushed into Steinmart(s), but I could be wrong.
I will be prayin’ for you and for your affliction, Sister Sophie….
I sang Friends are Friends Forever at summer camp as a kid. Fun times. Actually, I have it on my iPod… putting it on now. It’s sort of like Kumbya for the 1980’s. LOL
Glad you three had fun!
It’s interesting what you said about not sharing parts of your life with the blogging world (and I think you shouldn’t), but when you meet a fellow Sister-in-Christ it’s amazing how you may not know them, but you do know them. When the spirit binds friendships together there is something special that happens. The Lord just knits our lives and friendships together so perfectly. You don’t have to have a lot of history with a person, to feel connected to them. I just LOVE that about being a Christian!!! Where would we be without our Christian sisters!!
Glad you and Steinmarts had a good connection over the weekend as well!
Georgia Mom
I think I said this would be a ‘slice of heaven on earth’ this weekend and it came true! It sounded perfect and wonderful and then some. Each one of your posts on the weekend were different, but the same. Your love for eachother came shining through.
Thanks for blessing me each and every day.
You truly do. You are a gem!
Seriously, I loved reading about your weekend with Melanie & Shannon. Loved it!
Real life trumps blog life…AMEN! A big amen!
Sounds like so much fun.
I once had to pass the exit to a blog friend’s house on a trip once but was too scared to pull off because
a) she had NO idea I was nearby and might have been freaked out if I pulled in her driveway and
b) I was scared that she would think I was strange if she met me in real life (which actually would have been an accurate assessment).
Anyway, now I’m thinking I might be able to take that plunge.
I am soooo glad that you said that in real-life v. blog-life, real-life wins hands down. That’s something that I feel passionately about, but it’s hard for us mama’s to prioritize time with our real-life girlfriends when you have kids sick and laundry up to your eyebrows and it’s easier to read blogs at 11 p.m. at night. Real-life takes work. All that to say, I love that you got to have a great real-life weekend with these girls. :)
I am so glad ya’ll had such a wonderful time together. Fun. Fun!
This blogging thing just keeps on giving doesn’t it?
I have read your blog every single day for months, but I don’t think I’ve ever left a comment until now. I just felt the need to tell you that I love stopping by here – you always make me laugh, literally out loud. If my dh is in the room, he’ll be like, “Huh? What is so funny?” And I don’t bother to tell him because he wouldn’t understand. :)
Just wanted to say “thanks” for the grins! :)
~Bev~
Oh, I can relate to this so much. There are many things that, as open as I might seem on my blog, I only share with those close to me- and surprisingly my closest friends now are ones that I met through blogging! Thankfully we all live in the same town!
Steph
I am so jealous- I wish I could have been there to eat and shop with y’all! How fun- Invite me next time- Only a 3 hour drive for me from MS-
I took my own Martha (my mother)to Stein Mart yesterday- WHEW! She said “could you just run into Target and get me some of those panties with the lace on the waistband because I’m too tired to go in?” Okay Mother, that really narrows down the search- and No I will not! So she had to make the trek thru Target with me in search of the panties- which for the life of her couldn’t remember the particular brand-But we found them so we can rest easy for a little while now- Oh what a day with my own Martha!
All this was such fun to hear about! ! Thank you for sharing all this and I have loved reading their blogs as well! You girls are great and I look forward to each adventure!
Is it wrong that I’m jealous of the get together you had with these girls? It sounds like so much fun!
I get just what you mean about internet friends as opposed to real life friends, as well. It sounds like you’re lucky in that you have an abundance of both!
It is so funny that you mentioned the “Friends Forever” song of the ’80’s.
My husband and I were in that musical as teenagers and have been together ever since…on the 14th of this monrth it will be 15 years so I guess the song is true.
On a side note, I am totally jealous of you and your fun weekend. I have corresponded with Melanie some and would love to meet her…she comes to College Station fairly oftern (where I live) and yet I have yet to meet her! LOL
I’m so glad you had such a wonderful time with your friends. You are absolutely right– IRL is much better than blogland only friends. Each has their place, but there just ain’t nothin like the real thing baaaaaby…
I am so glad you three had a fun weekend and it lived up to the expectations. I must say that being with the fun bloggy friends all weekend and all that you did, then having family come in right behind them and doing all that you said you did yesterday…..I think you are due like a 24 hour NAP!!!!! :-)
Have a good day!
So glad that you had such a good time. Face to face definitely beats blogging…I completely agree with you and that has been my experience too. And please don’t forget to tell us about the jacket/coat experience :) I can’t wait to laugh…thanks again for the laughs.
Great reminder about real life! And no, I don’t think I would or could explain a podcast. : )
Have fun with your next set of precious company.
Thanks for sharing your weekend fun with us! I thoroughly enjoyed it!
“Friends are friends forever, if the Lord’s the Lord of them, and a friend will not say never…”
Oh my, that brings back memories of many a tear fest as we left church camps and missions trips…
I’m sorry you had to say good-bye, but I’m glad that you’ve found some “forever friends!”
Oh, I know… I felt the same the last time Shannon,some other great bloggers and I had the blessing of meeting together. I didn’t want to leave them either. They’re addictive in such a good way.
Glad the three of you had the best time ever, with the CC concert as a great excuse to make it happen.
Now, I’m sure I’ll be heading your way some time next summer on the way to free summertime babysitting. I’m hoping that the stars will align and we can make our MIRLing a reality!
Great to see 3 of my favorite bloggers get together! I am so glad you had fun. How could you not?? Can’t wait for the cast. I think you should tape rocks rolling around in a dryer for the opening this time. LOL
I laughed so hard about Melanie’s hair discipleship program. Your post left me singing “Circle of Friends,” which is a little bit newer at 11 years old.
I love that the three of you got together. How wonderful.
You guys need to invite me next time, k? Sounds like you had a balst. And you have to post pics of Melanies hair if it’s just so great, OK?
You crack me up every day girl. And laughter is good for your health, so I feel like I owe it to myself to read your blog every day. Hopefully the boost I get from the laughter counteracts the Cherry Cordial Hershey’s Kisses I just ate.
Really? You think I’m an all-caps SASSY? Because I just don’t think I’ve ever received such a fine compliment, especially coming from the Queen of Sass herself.
Thank you, m’dear–that was a fantastic weekend.
I can only imagine you three together for a whole weekend. I hope Birmingham recovers nicely. =)
Ahhh…. “and friends are friends forever” I think I was in ,like, 6th grade or something when that song was popular.
I’m glad ya’ll had a good time!
Do we get pictures of the hair?
So glad for you guys. Because ultimately, we are the receipients of the humorous benefits!
Oh great now I have that SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD!!!
I am not even going to type it b/c it might just seal it in there all day ! LOL!!
I am so glad the 3 of you had so much fun!! I LOVE me some girls weekends!
YOu are right though blog life is fun but there is nothing like being able to actually talk in person. I am a face to face kind of girl myself.
Always a joy!
Kim
Precious times–the time to absorb every minute and think upon later…savoring time.
Also, I wonder what kind of soup, since I love me some good soup (and cornbread).
I cannot wait to hear the podcast abd the story about Martha.
Thanks for sharing you weekend!!
Love,
Holly
What fun! I’m totally jealous, although I am meeting a bloggin’ buddy on Friday!!!!
Sue
What fun to come back to the Land of the Living Bloggers and have all these updates from all three of you to read… I’m feeling a little more with it now. It sounds like a wonderful weekend–the kind you look back on with a “pang of happiness” and wonder if it really happened. I do agree… meeting your closest blogging friends solidifies the fact that real life, face to face friendships are the very best–and that they can often start in the blogosphere. :)
God is good
All the time
But hair can never be trusted.
The whole women’s conference with Cherie Adams went FABULOSA! She was VERY pregnant and I kept wondering how
A) She could hold those amazing notes out with 8 months worth of Junior kicking her in the rib cage and
B) How she could groove like that ON STAGE without wetting herself.
I promised I’d fill you in on her clothes: She wore understated slacks with cute, funky maternity tops (a brownish one on Saturday and black and teal one on Sunday) and awesome sparkly open-toed flats. her hair is to die for – thick, curly, funky Italian wonderfulness.
I actually curled my own hair for the first time in a bazillion years and people stared at me. A few even said they liked my new hairstyle, though by the end of the day, when the man and I went to the Newsboys/Kutless/Newworldson concert the curls had dwindled down to mere “fulness”.
It’s wonderful how the Lord can knit hearts together–instantly!
I would love to be a fly on the wall if you had told Martha you have to edit the podcast rather than going to Steinmart(s)! LOL!!!!!
Must. . .have. . .a. . .Martha. . .story. . .now.
Makes me want to run right out and get my own Martha. Did someone say you can pick one up at SteinMart?
Sounds like you had a blast. There are a couple of bloggers I would love to meet in person.
Ok, I’ve lived less than a mile away from a Steinmart for about 8 years now, and have never stepped foot in the place. I think I lived here 5 years before I found out it wasn’t a grocery store. I think I will have to go check it out now.
Oh yes, hair discipleship is needed!
Glad you girls had fun!
Oh how I love those two! I’m glad you had a great time.
This is my first time commenting on your blog. I have to say you make me laugh!!I’m glad you had fun this weekend!! I have been friends with a group of ladies for 4 years and have never met them. Some day we will meet face to face.
Sounds like your entire visit was wonderful, start to finish, and that you are all bloggers was just an aside. I spent the evening sewing with a friend two nights ago, we met over blogging, but it’s evolved from there, and when we sit over tea and talk about the really important stuff of life, knowing it’ll never hit the blog, that feels wonderful. BTW, both of us just have the normal kind of hair – no shampoo commercials for either of us!xoox
It sounds so wonderful…I can relate to the wheezing and/or pants-peeing… :-D I’m so glad you had a good time! Can’t wait for the podcast, with flaws or without!