A week ago today, Judy and I headed north….for the first (of many, I hope) gatherings of the contributors to Grown in My Heart. I’d met Judy before, but have only known Carissa and Marcie virtually. Never mind that Marcie and I have virtually know each other for three years–we’ve actually never met In Real Life.
The nice thing about loitering online with adoptive parents is that you know they’ve been vetted for you. The finger prints, criminal background checks and homestudies almost guarantees that your online friends are safe. Now I’m not endorsing going into unsafe situations with strangers, but I was more excited than cautious when planning for our weekend.
The meet up did not disappoint. Judy and I were welcomed and made to feel at home immediately, Marcie’s boys were as adorable in real life as when she posts about them, and then Carissa walked in with cheesecake, I knew I’d hit a homerun as far as IRL meetings go!
So we went to the Nail Salon and got pampered (and agressively encouraged to wax, so I did) and talked. And we went to lunch and ate and talked. And then we walked the shops of Geneva and shopped, and talked. The we went back to Marcie’s and ate dinner and had drinks and talked. Then we made earrings and tweeted and talked. And talked and talked…and then we crashed for a few hours…..and then we got up for some more.
And I am so grateful for the internet. And for the sites that pulled us together (for me and Marcie, it was one of the very first Bloggy Giveaway carnivals), and for the site, Grown in My Heart that is expanding my list of adoptive parent friends. Because there is something about being called to adoption (or adoption finding you) that binds. And it’s always reassuring to know that the friends in your computer are real.
aw. THanks so much. I had just as nice a time as you did…maybe even more because it was my birthday. 🙂 I’ve decided that the next one is Epcot.