Some eight years after first meeting my friend, Sara, I finally met her in person. Here’s the backstory. I began the process to adopt my first child in late 2006, initially setting my sights on Vietnam. “Mom blogs” were thriving and the active blogroll for families hoping to adopt from Vietnam hit triple digits. The blogs brought answers to questions, comfort to woes and created a community of like-minded, hopeful parents from across the country. I valued those relationships and have stayed in contact with many individuals over the years.
Sara became one of those valued mama blogger friends; I’ve followed her blog for years — literally. (I remember when she posted about getting her minivan for Pete’s sake.. I just confirmed it on her blog…May 2007. And yes, I realize that sounds stalkerish, but at least I’m a friendly stalker.) Sara and her husband began the adoption process at a similar time in a similar program. Neither of us ended up building our families through Vietnam adoption, but our children ultimately came to be ours in the ways that the universe intended. And, over the years, we remained internet friends. She’s a talented photographer so I always knew that one day we’d meet and it would likely be during a photo shoot.
Fast forward to October 4, 2015. It was a beautiful fall day in Minnesota — the perfect backdrop for the long-awaited photo shoot and a chance to meet my old friend in person for the first time! I was excited….until we were just about to turn onto Sara’s street and my almost-8-year-old asked, “Are you nervous to meet her?” Because that’s how second graders think. She planted a seed, so I briefly entered the territory of nervous-excited!
Turns out there was nothing to be nervous about…Sara is as lovely in person as she is online. And so is her family. They are kind, open and warm. Meeting Sara was, in many ways, like reuniting with an old friend. Expectations exceeded.
There’s a lesson in this…because, really, there’s a lesson in everything. You never know how or when you’ll make a new friend. My elementary-age daughter seems to do this everyday; it’s a natural way of life for her. I usually enjoy meeting new people, although I don’t do it with the ease that some people pull off. It’s not natural for everyone; in fact, some people get to a certain point in life where they believe they don’t ‘need’ new friends. Others are forced to find ways to make new connections. I say, don’t close yourself off to the opportunity, no matter how or why it comes to be. It may be nerve-wracking or you may feel you haven’t the time, but in the end, it’s usually fun, exciting and rewarding to add a new friend to the roster, no matter what your age.
Oh, and as for the photo shoot with Sara? More expectations exceeded. I’ve now got a wonderful series of beautiful family photos that I’ll treasure forever, complete with the knowledge that they were taken by my new, old friend.
