I Love Lucy

Last year, I got to meet some of the people I previously only knew through blogging (well, blogging & sdbbe-ing, but they feel fairly cohesive). Along with my sister Becky, I met up with

Apryl
Britt and
Jeanette

at my local Carl's Jr, where we let our kids play and we hung out and talked. Unfortunately I had to work that day, so I couldn't stay long, but it was still awesome. It is delightful to put a real voice to the writerly one I already know. Plus, it's like Whammo! Instant friend! because you already know so much about each other.

Oddly enough, I became really good friends with Jamie and Wendy, who are two of my closest real-life friends, because of blogging. By "closest" I don't only mean on an emotional level—I mean literally, too, as they both live less than a mile from me. But reading each others' blogs let us get to know one another in a way we probably wouldn't have otherwise.

I've met a few other bloggy friends in real life. Of course, Sophia and I have met several times. (She is my oldest Internet friend...we've been friends since before blogs!) My second-oldest Internet friend, Helena, and her husband once came to my house so we could hang out and talk about scrapbooking and folklore for her husband's dissertation. (In a strange coincidence, her husband also used to work at the library I now currently work at. Coolio!) And once I accidentally met Shaunte, whose blog I love because she's really, really snarky-funny. We bumped into each other at the movie theater and were both like, "Hey! I read your blog!" and then we went to our separate movies.

My husband and children think it's odd, this meeting of online friends. What I try to explain, and what they don't really get, is that they're not just online friends or blogging friends. They're just friends. Yeah, I happened to meet them through their blogs, but how many couples do you know who also happened to meet online? More than a few, I'd wager. Why can't friends meet the same way? I don't think it's weird. I think it's awesome, except for I do get kind of anxious beforehand. What if my blogging friend only likes me as a blogger? or what if *I* only like her as a blogger? What if, in real life, we have nothing to say?

So I was a little bit nervous last week when I drove to the mall to meet my friend Lucy. I found Lucy's blog by way of Becky's blog, because they were real-life friends before blogging. (Another it's-a-small-world connection: Lucy is friends with Kristin, who was one of my best friends in fifth grade.) I think we clicked over similar Twilight aversions and we've been great blogging and emailing friends since then. Last week, though, she was in town, and hence my drive to the mall. I had Kaleb with me, and she had Sam, and it was hot. So we took the kids to the play place at the mall and we sat and talked.

And talked, and talked, and talked! My nerves were for nothing because being with Lucy in real life is even better than hanging out online. She is kind, and funny, and sincere. Plus, she's a great listener—you know when you can tell someone is really paying attention, not just waiting for you to stop talking so she can say something? That's how Lucy is—she listens. And she asks good questions.

Our hour at the mall play place flew by. Kaleb had fun, too—in fact, he's still talking about next year, when Lucy and Sam come again, and we go to lunch with them andBen and Thomas (Becky's sons). It might even be at the Carl's Jr. where I met my other bloggy friends! (Orem's not exactly a hot spot for entertainment choices, obviously.) And I'm still thinking about serendipity and the finding of friends, and how I wished Lucy lived closer so I could bring her some ginger ale (she's sickly pregnant) and come to the hospital, bearing gifts, when her baby is born.

But, you know, it's OK. Because we still have each other's blogs, and emailing. Despite how we met, I still count her as one of my favorite friends!

Comments

[Helena]

I notice that you politely neglected to mention how I fell asleep and drooled on your couch. ;)

[elizabeth]

My thoughts exactly. I have some very excellent friends who came this same way, too! And, I look forward to the day when we can have lunch :)

[Helena]

We had Betsy Hall's granddaughter Hazel visiting in Nursery today.

[Lucy]

You have had way more success meeting online friends than I have. I was almost hesitant to do a face-to-face meeting because, so often, that meeting ends u killing what I thought was a really fun friendship.

But, I knew there would be no surprises meeting you. You are too real, and too interesting to not be an amazing person and that mall meeting went way too fast. I went back to my hotel and gushed to my sister how great you were in real life. thanks so much for being you.

[wendy]

Isn't it strange how we connected more via blogging than our initial encounters in the hallway at church. I always wanted to get to know you more, but sometimes thost Sunday passings are too brief, I think. I'm glad we are friends in real life, too!

I haven't had as much success with online friends, either, though I am still friends with one blogging friend, and enjoy our periodic get togethers.

I love you!

[Kristin]

Lucy is fantastic and she is sorely missed in Spokane!! So glad you girls got to meet in "real life". I have only gotten to meet one blogger (not many venture up to Spokane) and I seem to get to Utah less and less these days. Anyway...I was thrilled to meet her in real life and she was just like I thought she would be.

I am SO HAPPY I found your blog and reconnected with you. I have been enjoying reading about your life since. :)

[Wendy]

Now I'm hungry to meet both of you in person. It is funny ... we seem so similar that I know we'd be fast friends and I do refer to you (when mentioning something to my hubby like "Oh my ... Lucy is pregnant ... maybe she'll have a girl" or "You've got to watch this hilarious marathon video on my friend Amy's blog") as FRIENDS (sometimes even as "my Mormon bloggy friends").