Friendship, that glorious gift...

So, to follow up on my rant about those awful people... let's talk friends :)

They're precious. And I took many of my friends back in PA for granted. When we first moved there, we had just graduated college and gotten married, so I was quite content to just bask in wedded bliss for awhile. I started working at the same company as my hubby and we connected with a few people there (including several newly weddeds) and we were quite happy to pile onto beanbags and watch movies together. Things changed as children were born, moves were made, etc. but we had some really good connections. It took awhile to find a church home (attending a megachurch is fine for checking the "went to church" option off of the weekly checklist, but really tough for connecting), but after our son was born God led us to a great church family where I in particular made some amazing friends as I navigated the overwhelming, emotional waters of mothering a colicky baby, missing the sense of sense and accomplishment provided by a "real" job, discovering #2 was on the way, and single momming it while hubby was on extended international business trips. Truly, I don't know how I would have gotten through those things without the support of friends.

And then we moved to South TX. It's been 2 1/2 years, and I still know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is where God wants our family right now. But I'm still struggling. I have a couple friends, but nothing like the amazing network that I previously had experienced. I've whined about it, and even had many women comment that they've felt the same way (women who've moved numerous times for military, schooling, etc. say that this has been the toughest area for them to get connected). There have been some great articles over at (in)courage about friendship, and this one in particular called out to me. I'm an introvert and I hate putting myself out there! But this idea about a women's group just kept coming up - books I was reading, blogs, and even news articles about how research was finding new health benefits linked to friendship.

So I'm doing something about it. Invitations have been sent to 5 very different women to join me next month, with the specific intention of building friendships. I've asked them each to bring someone with them - and I'm both excited and terrified. God knows about this lack in my life and I know He's working it all out... and well, I'm being stretched in the process.