Friday, May 14, 2010

Guess who I met??

When I first started blogging...sometime in December.  My motive was to capture moments!  I didn't want to forget all of the crazy, hilarious, and strange things that occur on a daily basis in this little family of mine.  I had just been gifted a camera by my dear sweet lover-boy and had a slight addiction to photoshop.  I would spend hours playing with my pictures and then close em' up..only to start over the next night.  I had also kept an adoption blog for two years and had recently had it printed into a book.  I was amazed at all of the memories and emotions that were brought to the surface as we flipped through the pages.  It was then and there that I decided to start blogging again.


Enter "The Peanut Gallery".  I remember the day I rounded up my first follower. Since I didn't really read many blogs, I had NO idea what a follower was, and to be honest, it kind of freaked me out.  I remember telling D-man that I might just delete that follower widget.  I couldn't figure out why in the world, someone who didn't know me, would follow me!  The word "stalker" did come to mind.  When I had blogged a few years ago..I don't think the follower widget was even available.  If it was....I was completely oblivious to it!  However, I started to visit new blogs and realized that a follower wasn't all that bad!  In fact, I started visiting my followers blogs and was pleasantly surprised to find perfectly normal little families.  There were so many women that I actually had a lot in common with.  Smart, funny and talented individuals that made me laugh and sometimes even cry!  I quickly became a "follower"! 


Then one day, I found a great little blog.  I think I must have left a comment.  I was pleasantly surprised when this muy cool lady paid my tiny little blog a visit. 

Her very first comment was, "Well thank you for stopping by my blog. I am a sucker for photography. So I think I will stick around ;)"

And just like that, I had a new follower! 

I had no idea that I had found a true friend in this new follower.  But as time passed, and she smartened me up and told me that I could set my email to receive comments, we became fast friends.  We emailed back and forth.  We emailed about our family and faith, and lots of little funnies in between.  So, when this new friend mentioned meeting up someday...I was quite excited to tell her that my husband was actually already planning a road trip to his favorite state! 

ARIZONA! 

And..just look who we happened upon right there in the little town of Sedona!


Can you guess who this lovely lady is??
I'll give you a hint.
She lives in Arizona...and she's a Mamma!
And, she's an awesome photographer.


After much planning, and a 4 hour drive for each of us...I finally met the "Arizona Mamma" face to face!


And it was like we'd been friends forever!
Please forgive me...I am unable to fully relinquish control of my camera.
I'm not sure why I can't just shut up and say "cheese".


I'll tell you this, Shannon (Arizona Mamma) was every bit as funny, kind, and warm hearted as she seems.  No duel personalities with this lady!  I'm sure she was questioning her judgement in choosing to meet me, at this point! 

We had a lovely lunch together, one in which C-boy quietly dismissed himself and went and hurled in the bathroom.  I, of course, was horrified at the thought of spreading the "pukes" to our new found friends.
I'm so thankful they didn't pack up and leave on the spot! 

So, while C-boy was doing this...
We decided to hit the little town of Sedona
Shannon's children are completely adorable.  S-girl was so glad to have a "girl" to hang with!

And Addyson is every bit as cute in person!

The kids had a great time.
And Drew led us on a hunt for "knives".
Apparently the Trading Post was just around the corner!

I was so impressed with Andy and Shannon's kids!
They were so warm and friendly.
J-boy was in awe of this older, very cool kid who was giving him so much attention!

The kids got a lesson in candle making.
Riveting..I might add!

Our visit was much too short. But I can truly say that I have been blessed with a new friend. I am thankful that the Arizona Mamma was a "sucker" for photography and decided to "stick around"!
And I might add, that Colton's kisses are every bit as cute as she described!
 

So, my new friend...thanks for taking the time to venture out into the unknown and meet this crazy family from the Peanut Gallery.  I'm so glad that you did! J-boy has asked when we are meeting you again!

And...I would like to give a little shout out to Andy, who took a day off of work to make the trek to meet us!
When we very well could have been a family of ax murderers!  
Thanks Andy!
I hope we weren't too scary! 

So, I'm off early Friday morning..sans kids and husband..for a weekend wedding.
I'm sure I will miss them all desperately.
I told D-man tonight that I was so sorry I was going to be leaving them all.
He wondered why I was grinning like a Cheshire cat as I said that, if I was "so sorry".
But, I am a woman who must fulfill my obligations!
When duty calls,
I answer!

28 comments:

Donna said...

That is so cool that you two met up! So much fun (and such great photos to mark the occasion). Well done you two!

Love Letters To China said...

I felt the same way when I first started my blog. Actually, there are times I still feel a big odd posting information and pictures about my family for anyone to read/see.

I'm very interested in printing my blog into a book. Would you mind sharing the company you used? Do you recommend them? I was hoping to do this at the beginning of the year, but time is flying and it's already mid-May.

So happy you were able to meet a fellow blogger. I'm going to have the chance to meet three bloggers I've been following at the end of the month at a photography workshop. Can't wait to finally put a face to a blog!

Carrie said...

Oh, that sounds like so much fun!!! ... So, I have to ask, ... when are you coming to TX?! ;)

Natalie said...

Oh! You ladies are so purty! How fun...I hope to eventually meet some of my blogging friends, too!

Courtney said...

Now, how fun is this?! Awesome that you guys were able to meet up. LOVE IT!

Stacey said...

How cool to meet in person!! I know what you mean about followers! I too thought stalker when I started. But now I love all my stalkers, I mean followers.

Cleo said...

WOW!
Let me say that again...but backwards this time, Julie: W-O-W!!!
This blog "thing" is AMAZING!
(Remember, I've only been doing it 4 months now).
It's absolutely almost unbelievable the impact a few of my "followers" (scant as they are!) have made in my life!
Yep...you're one of em'!
Was talking to a "non-blogger" the other day about you...she looked at me as if I were nuts.
"You're friends with a lady you've never met????"
"Non-bloggers" just don't understand.
So glad you were able to meet Arizona Mamma and write your friendship in the stars. :)
Be good at that wedding!!!

XXXXX,
Melissa "Cleo"! ;)

Kate said...

I love that you two got to meet each other!!

Shannon K. said...

Holy cow! I can't believe how alike our posts are. What on earth? That is just so funny.

I love that you actually found my first comment. I want to go back through and see what it was you said that lured me over!

Thank you, Julie for all you said.

Have fun at the wedding!

Mama (Heidi) said...

How fantastic to get to meet a blogging friend. I hoe I can one day meet some of the fantastic people I have met while blogging.

Mama Teaching 3 said...

Fun, fun, fun! Your both way too cute! :)

Catherine Anne said...

Oh yay! What a blessing. I have made to most dear friends here in the blog world. Love the pics. Also thank you for the prayers. Blessings Catherine

Anonymous said...

How fun! I bet the two of you had a ball! The pictures are great! This blogging thing is great, it makes the world just a little smaller!
Looks like a good time! I'm extremely jealous! :)

Wanda said...

Wow....very cool. Isn't this bloggy world just the best!!?!

Thanks for taking us along on your little adventure. Just for the record - if you ever get a hankering to head north (just across the border)....I'm there.
:)

Have a great week-end!

Sonora said...

How fun for you guys and your families! I'll say what I said on AZ mamma's blog that I am so jealous. I would love to hang out with both of you. It is so amazing the friendships that develop from blogging. I am forever thankful for people I have met that I would not have met otherwise.
Have a wonderful weekend alone with your husband!

Sonora said...

Duh! I meant, have a wonderful weekend alone. :)

TheFitHousewife said...

That is so awesome Julie, that you finally got to meet each other in person. How wonderful. It's amazing the "friends" we make through this whole process. I hope to meet you guys one day!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Jenilee said...

isn't it fun to meet other bloggers! :) cute pictures!

Alexandra said...

I think of that , too, how cool it would be to meet up with all the fantastic women I've met.

We already like their personalites, right?

What a great thing to happen. Happy for you.

And I love Desert Daze, too.

He & Me + 3 said...

what a precious thing to meet bloggers in real life. I had the pleasure last summer to meet 9 bloggers. It was a blast and they are just as sweet as they seem on their blogs.
What a fun time for both of you. Great pictures too.
If you are ever in Michigan:) Look this crazy girl up!
Hugs,
Mimi

*Jess* said...

I'm so thrilled you guys got to meet!

FarmChickAtHeart said...

So cool Jules! Looks like your trip ended up well....except for the J-boy impactment issue :(. I must say though, I'm jealous!!!! I NEED some Julie time! When?! Where?! Love you girl.

liz said...

I'm so jealous of you both! That is so awesome you two got to meet. And it looks like a great time was had by each and everyone of you!

Amy J said...

That's so awesome that you got to meet each other! When you've found a true friend, you just know it, right? BTW, I gave you an award on my blog...
http://jamcjohnsonfamily.blogspot.com/2010/05/versatile-blogger.html

Heather said...

This was so fun to read! I had read Shannon's post and thought it was so cool that you two met. :) How fun the blogging world is and how wonderful the friendships are that are formed.

Hannah said...

I have been lucky to meet a few of my bloggy friends and loved each of them!

Isn't it funny out such a small decision to start a blog ends up adding so much fun to our lives?

Seizing My Day said...

What a blessing!! You are both such fun, funny and down to earth mamas ~ I can see it! I had no idea blogging would offer friendships either! Blessings indeed!

Tammy said...

How cool is that? I have a few blogging friends that I would love to meet but being in Washington state and they are on the East Coast, it might take a little more time to plan! A local friend told me about your blog so had to check it out. I have been blogging like you since December and I love it! Now I have to go and check out Arizona Mama...she told me about her too. It is so funny how big this blogging world is...and then sometimes so small! I am your newest follower! :) Stop by and say hi when you get a chance!

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