I met THE Courtney!!!!!!!!!

and the whole Cassada Clan!!!!!

See, we've been friends for two? three? years, I can't even remember.

I think we met through Jody, but really, who knows (we don't)?

What I do remember is all the times I've read the words on her blog and thought to myself, "EXACTLY!!!" or "Wow, that's an awesome idea, I'm totally doing that"

or how many times I've commented things like, "that's exactly how I feel about it" or "I couldn't have put it better myself" or "I know, I know." or "Praise God!"

It's been long enough that I feel like she's walked through many of life's speed balls with me, encouraged me, been a constant and someone I know I can always check up on to make me smile or at least nod my head in agreement.

Except one thing.

We had never actually 'met'.

UNTIL LAST SATURDAY!!!!!!

We now live 30 min's away from each other!!!!!

I was giggling the whole time I was there.

It was like I had some virtual reality head gear on.

I know what her house looks like, she looks like, her husband, her kids, her clothes, her favorite earrings (I'm not weird, she's just thorough. really. no, really.)

But walking into it all and seeing everyone and everything for the first time, I didn't know what else to do but just gaulk.

(sorry if it got redundant Courtney!)

It all looked, smelled and felt exactly like it did in my head

she's one good blogger, I'm tellin' ya!

What you read/see, it's what you get - I loved that.

Courtney is exactly what I pictured.

EXACTLY.

Except her smile was WAY brighter in person than it is in pictures, and that's saying a lot!

It was a direct picture to her heart, which is what addicts me to her life in the first place - her heart, her love for her kiddos, her love for her husband, her love for her Lord.

So cool to see all that oozing through her smile in person.

(and you guys, she is beautiful!!! so pretty!)

And I totally loved seeing her take her great pictures.

(see, I was awe struck, she's like a celebrity to me - I took a picture of her taking a picture because I love her pictures ;-)

Our kids played great.

we'd been dying to get Bailey and Samantha together - and we were right ;-)

Our husbands played great too.

Jake, without saying it out loud, wasn't sold on meeting my 'Internet friend' - but I'm pretty sure it was me pulling Jake away from his conversation with Pat when it was time to leave not him pulling me away!

and now confession time:

I WAS SO NERVOUS to meet her

really, we parked in her driveway and my heart started beating faster, I had to pee (my #1 nervous reaction), I was swirling.

I'm always nervous that I don't give a true depiction of who I am or who we are as a family on the blog but I don't normally have to face that insecurity because I don't meet my blog friends in person everyday.

But there it was,

am I who she thought I was?, is she going to think I'm a fraud?

I'm not, really, it's just a stupid insecurity, you know, the kind you make up in your head and then believe!?,

I totally look fatter in real life, don't I?

even stupider than the last insecurity

Doesn't help that I'm away from my normal bubble - everything is new and when everything or anything is new every insecurity in the book is brought to the surface and rehashed (moving is awesome, isn't it?)

Anyway, all it took was to step in the door, see her, hug her and it was all gone.

So, looking forward to the 'new' part of the friendship - I can already tell it's going to be one of our most precious treasures here in VA.

Grateful that we had that time, so grateful.

THANK YOU COURTNEY and fam'.

(and wow, this was LONG, which makes it sound like I'm some stalker weird lonely girl....hee hee...lonely, yes, but I'm new, it's allowed! Stalker, yes, but only because you're so darn good at your blog!)

(even this picture is trippy to me,

we are in the SAME picture???!!!)

I MET COURTNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and if you're jealous, it's justified, it's all you think it is!

Now, after meeting Tisha in real life and Courtney in real life, I'm addicted....Cassie, Amy, Erin, Heather, (and the list keeps going, it's long or I'd list you all!) I gotta meet you!