Christian Mommies 2011

Usually when I tell people for the first time that I have a group of friends that I met ONLINE, I get lots of exclamations of surprise and curious questions. Fair enough. People meet each other and date through online services these days - a little different, but not too weird, right? And then I tell the story of how we actually MET each other in person (well, most of us).

"WHAT?!?! What was THAT like??"

So it's a long story, and I've shared it on here before, but for those of you who are not familiar with the story of the Christian Mommies, here's the short(er) version:

We all met on Baby Center, an online chat forum, in 2007 when we were all pregnant and due in November. Fourteen of us from the group remained in touch with each other up to and after the births of our children (in October and November) and went to a private server so that we could communicate with each other only (no lurkers!). This group of Christian women includes residents from California to Massachusetts, and Michigan to Florida!! We're spread out all over the country!

The following year, when our babies were about 8 months old, we decided to meet as a group. We planned a trip to Chicago, where 8 families came together for a fun, crazy weekend. It was so awesome to connect a face (not just a picture) and a voice (!!) to the ladies we had come to know so well over the last year. We gave lots of hugs, our husbands and babies and kids all met each other, we had late-night girl chats and it REALLY sunk in that we were actually there... face-to-face!

In 2009 We met in Hershey, PA - Some of the same families from the year before and some "new" ones who hadn't come before. You can read about that trip HERE.

Fast forward to this year...

A smaller group of us (5 families) gathered here in Virginia, near the Williamsburg/Hampton/Norfolk area earlier this month. I absolutely enjoyed catching up with friends that I hadn't seen in two years, but was also thrilled to get to meet a "new" friend for the first time!! Rachel had not been to any of the previous trips, although she had met a few of the other ladies at various times, while they were traveling. This special lady and I shared many online chats over coffee, lamenting and rejoicing and praying and praising. And finally, four years later, we got to meet FOR REAL!! HA HA!!

Rachel with her son, Nevan and Me with Lauren


This trip was spent catching up over breakfast, hanging out at the pool, visiting the botanical gardens in Norfolk, going out to dinner, and of course, having our nightly girl time after the kiddos were in bed. (THANKS to Jenny and to the daddies!!) But mostly it was about continuing the conversations that we always have....only we don't have to type!! We sure missed the ones who weren't able to make it this year! I am looking forward to the day when I finally get to meet those whom I haven't met yet!

So while I can explain the series of events that has led us up to this trip and this point in our friendship, it still does not do justice to the experience of knowing these women. I can't really describe in words what it has meant to me to have these ladies in my life. In four years, there has not been a SINGLE DAY, not a SINGLE DAY that has gone by, when at least a few members of the group have not been in touch with each other (on the board), praying for each other, calling each other, or "facebooking" each other (can that be considered a verb now!?!). Someone is ALWAYS there. Sure, there are times when we get busy. There are days when some of us can't check in. Yes, we argue. We certainly don't agree on everything. But for us, the beauty of being sisters in the body of Christ is that we can all be different and imperfect and love each other anyway. I am so, so incredibly thankful for that love and the encouragement and joy that I have received over the last few years. It is nothing short of a miracle that God brought our group together. Especially because HE knows and WE know that it has allowed certain members of our group to "walk through the valley of the shadow of death" or as I also have heard it described..."do the death crawl", knowing that she is not alone. We've seen each other through some mighty hard times, and some absolutely wonderful times, too!

I know that in 10 or 20 years, we will have many more memories to look back on and I pray that this group continues to be a vehicle of God's grace and provision and love, as we seek to raise our children to know Him, and as we cry and laugh with each other along the way. :-)

This post is for you......(in no particular order)

Anette, Rachel, Liz, Cheryl, Chana, Linda, Jenny, Michelle, Jennifer, Lisa, Alyssa, Dawn and Kylie!!

Here are just a few highlights from the trip:

Jenny and Linda and Me...with our boys. :-)


Lauren was in awe of Elaina's older sister, Jordan. Here they are holding hands at the Botanical Gardens.


Jenny with her boys


Linda and her family


Chana with Max


Some of the kids at the gardens


Lauren took this picture of Jenny!


Group hug with Chana's husband, Darryl. :-)

Daddy and daughter at the restaurant


Rachel with her family


Five of the the '07 "babies"...getting ready to turn 4 this year!


The mamas!


I also took about a billion pictures of the kids in the gardens, where there was a water play area. Gonna have to save all that for another post! Stay tuned....