Monday, March 9, 2009

Friends

When we got married, I moved to a new town, and it was VERY difficult! I had lived in Waco for over 11 years. I had "grown up" there. I had family and LOTS of very close friends there - people who knew me...really KNEW ME...and LOVED ME! I was all of a sudden in a new place, completely stripped of everything and everyone I had known for so many years. I struggled a lot with depression. I think I cried for MONTHS! =) I liked where we lived. I grew to love the people there, but it was a difficult road.

When we moved here, it was not nearly as difficult - probably because I had been through the relocation thing before...and probably more because this time I had Asher to keep me on my toes - and now Ainsley is helping to keep me occupied as well. =) Not to mention, I had a "built-in friend"...Dina - a friend of my mother-in-law's who lives here and immediately took us under her wing! We love her very much!

I have loved being a wife and a mommy, but it has overwhelmed me MUCH MORE than I ever thought it would before I was in these roles. I used to be clean and organized, and I always decorated the places I lived well (at least I thought so =)). Now, I have piles everywhere, my bathrooms are long overdue for a good cleaning, and shelves are YET to be hung and decorated - and we've lived here for almost a year and a half now. (Thankfully, I've recently discovered FlyLady, and I think she's going to help me! =)...I even got to see her in person the other day!)

A few months ago, I met Autumn in line at Wal-Mart. Funny, I know. It's about the only place in this town! =) She is steadily becoming a very good friend to me!!! She even asked me today if she could come help me organize some things at my house! She was hesitant to ask, because she didn't want it to sound "bad" =), but I said, "YES!!!" and told her never to worry about how something "sounds" to me. Things like that rarely bother me! Besides, she said that it wasn't that my house "looked bad" =), it's just that I talk about it, and it seems to bother me. Well, she's right! It does! Anyway, I love her! She's definitely a gift sent to me from God! And I don't just say that because she wants to help me! =)

In January, she started a "mom's group" for stay-at-home-moms. We started out meeting once a month, but we're going to start getting together twice a month, because we all like it so much! =) Today we just scrapbooked together. Well, THEY scrapbooked...I fiddled with Ainsley for two and a half hours, talked, and cropped ONE picture! Oh well! Anyway, the inspiration for this whole post was this...The group is made up almost entirely of women who are not from here. So we all can relate to the struggles of moving to a new place. TWO different ladies - in completely separate conversations - were talking about how they had had old friends or the girls in their family come up for a fun girls' weekend, and how they had so much fun that when their friends and family left, they cried! I KNOW how that feels! It hasn't happened as MUCH here as it did after Beau and I got married, but it just reminded me of HOW IMPORTANT FRIENDSHIPS ARE!!! TRUE FRIENDSHIPS...not just saying hi here or there, but really getting to KNOW each other - and having FUN with each other! It almost makes me want to cry thinking about the loneliness in so many hearts! And sometimes we don't even realize the depth of it until we experience true friendship again - like the weekends that my new friends had. I haven't FELT the loneliness in this new place like I did in the last new place, but just in the last few weeks - since I'm STARTING to make some more friends - it's amazing at how GOOD it feels to connect with other girls (ladies, whatever...)! We all have that need to know and be known...to love and be loved. And I'm glad that it seems to be a season in my life where maybe that's going to start happening a little more again. =)

2 comments:

Mama Jeannie said...

Sara, I am so thankful that all you girls in McAlester are finding one another. You are so right... girlfriends are important; sharing the challenges of mommying and finding encouragement and answers to questions are important. Praise God, He is putting all of you together for such a time as this. I love you sweet Princess-girl.

Shan said...

Oh Sara, what a wonderful Mom you have! I loved her comment and from what you have wrote about her. You ARE a daughter of a King, the King that matters the most in this life and the one to come. This does make you a princess! It sounds like both our prayers have been answered! I am glad you have not felt too lonely after moving here, but God does know that I have. Friendship is so important to me...it is what makes life more fun. I have missed my best friend from Tyler and miss having someone to hang out with and talk to. Thank you for having the courage to call me, not knowing what kind of person I was. You listened to the Spirit, thank you so much! He will never steer you wrong. I had fun today and realize more and more how much we have in common. Look forward to many more lunches and times together! :)