Meeting Rose

I have written about my mommy board a few times (here and here.) It is a group of 15 awesome women that I talk to daily (online) and have for 2.5 years now. I consider them all my close friends...and yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet one of them.

About a year ago, I had my first mommy-friend meet-up. Jen and I both live in Pennsylvania (in fact, just an hour or so apart) so it was logical that we would get together. We have since met up with our kids twice.) She is the one who lives the closest to me.

And yesterday, I was able to meet Rose and her daughter Elisha (who is about 2 weeks younger than G3.) Rose lives on the other side of the world...Australia to be exact! She came to the US with her husband on business, and will be spending the next 2.5 weeks traveling across the country with him. When she first started planning her trip, she let us all know where she'd be and when. Turns out that yesterday she was in Newark, NJ for the day, which is only about a two hour drive for me. So, I decided that it was a close a chance as I was ever going to get to meet my "international online friend".

In the days leading up to yesterday, I can't really describe my feelings. I was excited. I couldn't wait to see and talk to Rose in person, and especially to see G3 and Elisha interact together. I mean, I have been hearing about and seeing pictures of Elisha since before she was born. I know just about everything about her...I know what words she can say, that she likes to stay up late, that she's always eaten "grown up" food, that she's independant and fiesty, how big she is--seriously, we talk about everything. And, I couldn't wait for Rose to meet G3 either.

I was also nervous. I wasn't nervous about meeting Rose (or her husband...and yes, I know a lot about him too!! Probably more than he wants me to!) I was a little nervous about the drive (but then again, I always have a voice of discord in the back of my head when G3 and I travel alone.) I was nervous about being able to find her at the right gate, being on time, parking...things like that. Still, there was no way in hell I wasn't going to go...I also had a feeling this was one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that I could not pass up.

I got up early, fed G3, threw him in the car and we were off! The drive was surprisingly easy, as was parking and finding the right terminal (um, Newark Airport?? Nothing to write home about.) I stood outside the gate waiting for about 10 minutes or so, and before I knew it I saw Tomy (Rose's husband) strolling out, looking around. I don't think he recognized me but I certainly recognized him. And then, shortly behind him came Rose pushing Elisha in a stroller.

It was awesome to meet her, to hug her, to see little Elisha, and to just be in the physical presence of someone I pretty much talk to on a daily basis. After the baggage stuff, we sat down for a minute and Tomy asked something along the lines of, was it weird for us to be together in person vs. typing on a computer? And, just as it was when I met Jen, the immediate answer from Rose and I was "No." It honestly felt like hanging out with someone who I saw all the time.

While Tomy went to his business meeting, Rose and I hung out in the airport, for about 5 hours. We walked around, found a window looking out to the planes to occupy the kids, had lunch, walked some more, watched planes some more, got some coffee, dealt with cranky kids, and talked. In so many ways Rose was so different than I expected...and yet exactly the same. She was shorter than I imagined, her voice was softer, and her accent was Indian rather than Australian. I know from now on when I read her posts I will be no longer be imagining the heavy Australian accent:) It was blatantly obvious that her Elisha was the total spitfire she always describes...and just as obvious that she is a GREAT mom to her!! I would be so stressed out, traveling with a 20 month old--I'd be worried about naps, snacks, food, etc. Rose seemed so calm and collected.

As for the kids--they were pretty funny together. They had some squabbles, some kisses, some conversations in that foreign language that all toddlers used. It was so, so cool to see them together. Its also awesome that two little kids, who've never met, who live on opposite sides of the globe came together in a random airport in New Jersey and just totally became buddies.

So, will I ever meet Rose again? Possibly not, but I'd like to think so. I'd like to think that someday, somehow, I will get to meet all of the incredible girls on my mommy board. Meeting Jen and Rose has only confirmed that friendships come in so many different shapes and sizes, and in places you never, ever expect. It still amazes me to this day a simple decision to start posting on a more or less anonymous message board has led me to meeting a wonderful friend who lives 5 gazillion miles away.

Next Rose will be heading west, and the final leg of her trip will put her within driving distance of Becca, our California girl, and the two of them will be meeting. I am sure they will have just as great of a time as we did...and I am so excited and anxious to see which one of these girls I get to meet next!!

The Gabes in their complimentary Australian threads!