I love all of you. I really do. And that's hard to explain to people I know in real life. I've had this conversation more than a few times in the past few months.
"Yeah, I've got this friend who's going through this situation (whatever "this situation" may be) and I'm just really thinking of her right now."
"Oh, how did you meet her?"
"Well... I actually haven't met her but I've read her blog for the past year and now we're friends."
And then I feel weird. Because how on earth do you explain, to someone who doesn't blog (or doesn't read blogs), that when you read someone's blog almost every day, and they read yours, and you share comments and e-mails back and forth, that friendships form. Even if you've never met. Even if you might never meet.
And because you are my friends, when good things happen to you I am so thrilled with you and walk around smiling, and when bad things happen, I am so sad with you. Unfortunately these past few months I've had some blog friends going through some really tough times. Mattie, sweet Sherry's daughter, was stillborn at the end of June, and instead of cuddling her four and a half month old daughter, she is daily learning to live without her. And this past weekend, Erika had to give up her daughter as well.
I am tired and overwhelmed and sad. So in light of that, blogging every thing I'm doing this week has become just too much. I want to record my days with my kids at this stage of life, but this is just not the week for it.
Right now I don't feel like I have any words to share so I'm going to take a blogging break for a few days. I'm not going to post and I'm just going to close my Blogger dashboard tab. I'm going to try and get some more sleep and slow life down a little bit. That should help with being tired and overwhelmed, at least.
If you pray, use the time you would take to read my blog to say some prayers on Erika's behalf. On Sherry's behalf. On behalf of all of us. We could all use more prayers.
See you in a few days.
Oh Natasha! I understand how you feel about blogging friends and trying to explain it to other people. It is funny how you can feel connected to someone you may never meet. A tea room is getting ready to open in my town and I thought of you. I was in Wal-Mart and someone's name tag read Mattie. I thought of Sherry. It's hard to explain to other people.
ReplyDeleteI'm in prayer for Sherry and Erika. Take a few blogging days off to relax...just not too long. =)
(I tried commenting earlier but captcha isn't showing up right on my lap top for some reason... hope I'm not accidentally double posting!)
ReplyDeleteI agree, and I have felt silly on many occasions blogging about my day and my kid(s) when there is so much heartache going on out there, especially for people who would die to be parents... just not fair :(
Oh, sweet friend, you know I understand completely what you mean! I too feel "weird" when I tell people about my special online friends that I love more than most people I know IRL. When I say "oh, I haven't actually met them yet, but we are friends online," I want to add (or shout), but they know me better than you do, and I love them so much more! It helps that I can say "she gave me this sweet necklace that I wear like everyday for our sweet baby girl." I am so sad to hear about Erika's loss...and I do count it as a loss very similar to my own. You were definitely placed in our lives at just the right time to "help" and "love" us through this because that's the kind of heart you have...like Jesus! Take all the break time you need because you have gone through all of this right along with us. I will reach out to Erika and offer my condolences and "help" if and when she needs it.
ReplyDeletePraying for your friends - you know that infant loss is so close to my heart even though I've not had kids of my own. Kissing nieces and nephews goodbye is heart-wrenching and definitely brought me to a new place of appreciating each breath.
ReplyDeleteThankful for you, Natasha, and I consider you as dear a friend as any I have met in real life. You are a blessing!! Lifting up you and your friends today.
Thank you for your prayers and your sweet comment Bekah. I really appreciate both.
DeleteSending prayers!
ReplyDeleteps I totally get the blogging friends...they really are my friends, just as much as my friends that i've met in person before but live far away.
Thank you for leaving a comment. I really appreciate your prayers.
DeleteCompletely understand. All of it. And I'll be praying for your friends.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. Sometimes I'll be driving down the road thinking, I wonder what my bloggy friends are doing this week. I really feel close to some of you. Hope this time of rest is beneficial and fruitful.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Kelly