Good Friends = Good Life

Welcome back!

When I was younger, my momma always told me “enjoy your friends now because when you get older they disappear.” I believed her, for a long time.  My mom and dad weren’t the type of people when we were growing up to have friends over, have get togethers or anything.  Sure, we had family over all the time, but my mom and dad’s friends, not so much.

When I graduated high school, it hit me, I am going to lose all my friends.  That hit hard and it hurt.  I had this fear that it would come true.  Sure, I haven’t seen most of the people I graduated with since graduation or a random run in at the local Walmart, and my best friend from high school and I rarely talk, but when we do it feels just like old times.  Even still, my best friend from elementary and junior high, who moved away, and I still talk regularly.  Though we rarely see each other. I was in her wedding in 2005 and she came to see me after both baby #1 and #2 were born.  #1 the night he was born carrying flowers, because she’s just that type of gal.

When I married the summer after my freshman year of college, I had this tiny hope inside that I’d make new friends in my new town.  That didn’t exactly happen over night.  But slowly, it has happened and now, I’m surrounded with a great big circle of friends.  I call them “my girls” and they are so special.  Each one hand picked by God to be a friend to me.  What makes them even more special is many of them have children my children’s age and they too are friends.  We have get togethers with the kids, we go to church together and our children attend school together.  We do A LOT together and that’s why good friends = my good life.

The photo is from our 2nd Annual Weenie Roast held a couple weekends ago.

This Was Vacation?

We just returned from our first family vacation with 3 children under the age of 6.  I enjoyed their faces as they explored a new place, went swimming in a big pool for the first time, and just enjoyed each other.  However, there were parts of vacationing with three little ones that was can we say “stressful?”

I learned a few things about myself on the trip, maybe I knew them already, but either way I was reminded:

1. I am paranoid when it comes to my children. A big place with a lot of cars, lots of people = a scary place to try to keep up with three little ones.
2. I am a small town girl. I enjoyed visiting the big city, but it escalated my anxiety levels, which are usually high anyway and made me nervous most of the time.
3. I am a homebody. I never really considered myself this before, but after being away for 3.5 days I was dying to be back home.

We had a lot of fun, don’t get me wrong, but it only made me want to protect my children more.  We went to a few attractions in Chattanooga, one of which being a children’ s museum.  I couldn’t believe in this very crowded place how moms could sit back and just chatter away while their kids just ran around.  They had no iota of where their children were or if they were ok or not.  I realize that some of them may live there and had been to the museum a dozen or more times, however there were many tourists around and the whole concept just made me nervous.  I am thankful I live in a small town and when we go out in public it isn’t crowded.

My husband and I even discussed on the way home how different it would be living in a place where everything was at your fingertips, restaurants, stores, etc.  We are thankful we live in a place where we have to venture out a bit, plan a bit and think about when we’re going to go out to eat or to the store.  I believe it makes us thankful and more conscientious of what we buy and what we spend our money on.

I am thankful that this vacation was more than that, it was a lesson in life.  I learned so much about myself.  Thank you Lord for it and for my family.  They are priceless.

Hoppin’ to It

I am hoppin‘ to it and getting my “I’m not at BlogHer post” up, though I’m not tearful about NOT being at BlogHer, because I am on vacation with my family and family comes first. We’re here in Chattanooga, TN the great hometown of the creator of this bloggy party, Robin from Pensieve. She’s hosting BlogHop09 for those of us NOT at BlogHer. So, let the party begin and my family and I will continue our vacationing.

I am excited to spend some time reading all of your blogs and getting to know you as my late night “net fix” since I’m too much of a nerd to get away and disconnect completely even on vacation. So, here’s a little about me to help you get to know me in 5 min. or less.

WHO IS ALYSSA:

1. Hands down a total unashamed, Christian, which means I have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
2. My occupation is three-fold, ok maybe four-fold, Christian writer and speaker, full-time wife and mom.
3. Starting Monday, I am the new Inspired Bliss editor over at Blissfully Domestic.
4. I attended my first blogging conference in February 09, Blissdom and plan to attend my second Type A Mom in September 09.
5. I am addicted to Coca Cola Classic.  I am a red can gal.

But, that’s enough about me, what about you leave me your link in my comments and I’ll come visit you.  Let me know what we have in common, because if there is one thing I know about the world of blogging is we all seem to have at least one thing in common and that’s why I love being a blogger.

If you want to know more about me just click around my blog here I”m sure you’ll learn a thing or two.  So, get hoppin’ and I’ll see you around!  Be sure to follow me on Twitter.

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