Guest blogger: Lyndsay!

I'm out of town this week and some fantastic guest bloggers are stepping in for me! Today is Lyndsay, a fantastic blogger I'm privileged to also consider a friend. I'll let her tell you more about how we "met."

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Years ago, I remember hearing about people who “met” people online. For me, the whole concept was riddled with paranoia and doubt. I mean, only really creepy people hung out on the internet, right? Fast forward a number of years, and I find myself part of an online community for expecting mothers. As part of that community, I find myself meeting people online. Wait. I’m not really all that creepy, am I? Perhaps boring, ordinary, people also have access to the world wide web. Is it possible that those deemed strange for participating in such an activity years ago weren’t really all that different, they just had it figured out long before we did?

Our fast-paced lives are infiltrated with electronic communication and internet applications. The hectic schedules that so many of us have reduce the leisure time available, making friendships an unthinkable luxury. A stay-at-home mom utilizes the internet to reach out and make connections with others throughout their day. A working mom reaches out to other moms, forging friendships that might not otherwise be possible. In these online forums and blogging communities, questions are answered, fears are calmed, accomplishments are celebrated, and support is abundant. Sometimes just knowing your kid isn’t the only kid who has managed to lodge an inanimate object in their nose multiple times is priceless.

When I became part of this online community for the first time, I met a fantastic person. That person is known to you as the lovely Beth of C. Beth Blog. Upon sitting down to write this post, I had to do some math in my head (always a difficult endeavor) to figure out how long it has been since I first met Beth. I was astounded to realize that it has been over three and a half years. Over three and a half years of friendship that grew from participating in an online community, to figuring out the blogging world together, and communicating via email on myriad of topics. We’ve discussed the ailments of our children and of ourselves. We’ve exchanged Christmas cards. Beth has been an incredible support to me during some of the most challenging moments of motherhood, parenting, and marriage. Beth has provided insight and has been a sounding board as I’ve grappled with and grown in my faith. I’m fortunate to have such a great friend. Amazingly enough, Beth and I have never met in person; we are separated by a plethora of state lines and at least one time-zone.

If that isn’t a true testament to the power of the internet, I am not sure what is.

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Lyndsay, I'm touched by this post! Thank you so much! Readers, Lyndsay's blog is one of the funniest I regularly read, so be sure to check it out here: I Used To Be Witty.