This picture really has nothing to do with today’s post…I just wanted to show off Charlie’s mad stacking skills. Do you see the concentration? Maybe I’ve got a budding architect on my hands…who will grow someday into a wildly rich and famous man…who will keep his mommy and daddy in steady supply of fancy coffee and expensive frisbees for the rest of our days…on our own, personal tropical island.
Anyway, on with the post.
After I became a mom, I became somewhat of a hermit.
I don’t know if this happens to other moms, or if it was just my particular situation…either way, I got pretty lazy in the social department.
It’s just so much easier to stay home and talk to the people you talk to every day. You don’t have to put any effort into trying to get to know someone new…you don’t have to wonder what they’re thinking and if they like you…and you already know all the little things that they like or find offensive.
I’m not saying it’s the right way to live…it’s just easier.
With this move to Omaha, it was pretty tempting to stay isolated…and I did, for the first couple of weeks. I’m very nervous about driving in big towns, and Omaha’s big enough to scare me inside. After a Charlie appointment in which I had to just suck it up and drive, however, I started to feel a little better about it.
I’ve got friends here, but only a couple of them are home during the daytime..and I can’t hang out with them every single day.
So I branched out. I kind of can’t believe I did it, but I did. I got on Momaha.com and organized a blogging group…filled with women I’ve never even met. Our first meeting is this Thursday, and I’ll admit, I’m totally nervous about it.
I’ve started having coffee with someone who’s an extended part of my family, and realizing I’ve got a lot in common with her.
I met a new mom through Momaha, and we’ve actually met for a playdate…and are hopefully meeting up for another one next week. She’s actually got a blog, too.
So, from simply taking a few social jumps, I’ve found a potentially huge source of friendship and support, as well as a fellow mom to talk about parenting, blogging, and having degrees in the Arts.
I’ve even actually been going out for drinks on Thursdays with my husband’s cousin…who I don’t really even think of as “my husband’s cousin” anymore. She’s my friend.
This post isn’t terribly eventful, but I’ve noticed I’ve been doing a little more blog-ranting than is normal. Paul being in school again is stressful, and it’s easy to focus on what is frustrating me. It’s a little more difficult (for some ridiculous reason) to stop and count my blessings…and this is a big one:
In all of the chaos, I’m actually discovering a little balance.
My social life is a part of me that I’ve been neglecting…out of laziness. “Having a kid” wasn’t a very good excuse, either. There are plenty of moms out there who would love to sit in a living room, drink coffee, and do nothing more than chat while their kids play. I just needed to get off my butt and find a new living room.