BlogHer '12, The Love Post

I have some really amazing friends.

They are amazing because they share their lives with me and their hearts with me and their souls with me.

They are amazing how they put their whole selves out there and they put their stories out there.

To help others.  To feel better.  To help others feel better.

To be heard and to have those who may have no voice (such as their own children) be heard.

They put their words on this screen so that you and I can know we are not alone and that we are not too fat or too thin or too young or too old but that we are who we are and that we are worth something.

They make us feel empowered and strong and fabulous.

They have suffered loss and known triumph.  They have taught us something and we have taught them too.

They have inspired us in ways we never dreamed.  And made us smile on a lonely night when our husband is traveling and the kids are FINALLY in bed and all we really need is a friendly "tweet" or email or comment to make us feel better.

They have laughed with us while sharing a too-small hotel room and given us hugs that make our heart explode and put a smile on our face that is bigger than Texas.

They've squealed upon meeting us in a hotel hallway in the middle of Manhattan and when we have kissed their babies we realized that we have loved them from the time they were in their Mothers' wombs.

We have cried with them and supported them and helped to heal their hearts even with the love we send from across the country, our hearts attached by invisible strings stretching near and far, covering thousands of miles just to say "I'm here for you".  And we have done the same for them.

They are bloggers.  Just like you and me.  They are people that without this place in cyber space, I never would have come to know otherwise.

They are nothing short of PHENOMENAL.

And they are my FRIENDS and the reason I traveled to NYC last week.

Absolutely, without a doubt THE reason.

me w/ @ShannonLazovski, @JulieDutch @MomMadeItLookEZ @bargainshopmom

with Rebecca @RNashPhoto and Jen and Melissa again at Blographer event

I FINALLY met my sweet friend @BOREDmommy!!!!!

And this lady KNOWS how to give the hugs and love! @KirstenPiccini

with sweet Nicole @ByWordsMusings and Natalie @MamaTrack with her insanely adorable baby girl and Kir and Jen and Kelly @Kpugs

@RachelVorhees and Jen @buriedwithkids laughing it up with Jen 

me and the wonderful @AngellaD in hotel hallway

And then @frelle joined us in the pic! :-)  So fun!

@Hdurdil (thank you for the photo walk!!) and @Schmutzie

My friend and original BlogHer roomie, @Haleytweetstoo

Melissa and I at the Disney movie reception

My friend Colleen @AMadisonMom was apparently quite thirsty! HA! So great to meet her!!

With sweet @JulieDutch

The fabulous @ErinMargolin sporting her "smolder" look at CheeseburgHer

p.s. please excuse my big white hamhock in this shot.  

You shoulda seen what I had to crop out of this photo! (which includes 

Tracy's hand on my arse, btw...)  

It's hard sharing a king-sized bed with 3 other people. ;-P 

Also linked up to Just Write...