Seven years ago I was planning a wedding. I wanted new fresh ideas. I didn't want to do the same old thing with the same old vows. I wanted to be somewhat different. I found a website called The Knot, and fell in love with it. It had ideas I would have never found here in Pennsylvania Dutch Country. It had planning down to the smallest detail that I would have never thought of. Most importantly it had a community where other brides planning their weddings could get together, pick each others brains and cheer each others plans on.
Seven years ago I met a group of women who I can now call friends. I've never met a single one of them in real life, even though two of them live in my town. I've even helped several of them plan vacations to our area, but have never had the balls to say...hey come see me! I just can't.
When The Knot's message boards began to have problems we found a new home on MSN's Groups, and have been together ever since. Through thick and thin this group of women (and a couple of men) stand with one another. We've been through each others weddings, some divorces, parent's deaths, spouses deaths, births, miscarriages, you name it. Yes, there has been bickering, with a group of women how can you not have some? We've debated through elections, each side fighting for their candidate and usually patient enough to listen to the other side, even though there was no way of ever being swayed.
Today, MSN Groups is closing down. Yes, we have a new board set up, ready and waiting for our relationship to continue. But it still feels like such an end. I will admit tearing up a bit over the last few days. We've been reminiscing about past conversations (my personal favorite being Nuts and Mints...long inside story), we've been thanking each other for being there through our rough spots. Apologizing for when we were younger, ruder, and stupider. These conversations may disappear with the group itself, who knows. At least we'll always have the memories to take with us to our new home.
There are several different groups that I am a part of through them. There is the General group, the TTC/Mommy group, the littler TTC/Mommy group, the Still Trying to get pregnant group, the miscarriage group, the Clueless Couch and even the BithBoard. I know several of you are shaking your heads at this, but it all makes perfect sense to me. This is my internet family.
So, thank you internet family for the past seven years. I look forward to many more to come on the new boards, as cranky as I am to have to leave the old ones.
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7 comments:
i know what you mean when i was on yahoo groups for over 7 years and we finally started drifting apart when our kidlets started getting older.
I met so many of my friends on these groups. back before blogs were even known. it was all message boards and groups.
Im still friends with many of the girls and guys from my groups.
its definetly something that will change you :)
hugs!
(ps sorry for deleting other comment, i didnt realize that i mispelled a lot of words lol )
Oh, it is hard when things have to change like that.
I just might have to hand deliver my special package to you when the time comes. I've been promising another friend in your town (that you know, too) a visit for years now, and I've never made it there. I've met her several times before when she used to live here, and I promise she doesn't bite... and neither do I! I've had girls from there in my home, I've been in many of their homes, I've even traveled by car and plane to see many of them. It's amazing, the friends we've made, isn't it?
i had the same feelings when babycenter.com changed their boards. i felt like i was losing my support community, it sucked.
hope you all find a way to stay in touch...
Wanna come to Australia?
:-)
I never would have understood, until now, how special an internet family can be.
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