Tuesday, December 30, 2008

My Year-End Confession

I love her and I don't care who knows it.

(Callie, if you're reading this, I can bet you are already laughing because you know whats coming. Wait for it.)

Her name is Angie.

She writes a blog that I follow daily, Bring The Rain. I've posted about it before - but this post is a little different.

See, I started following her online journal almost a year ago, and with each clever, spiritual, emotional, or downright hilarious post, I became more and more of a groupie. I adore everything about her: her creativity, her love for her husband and her children, her love for her Savior. Angie is somehow able to balance thoughts of life, death, love and God with humor, grace, and the occasional post about the rising cost of stick bundles at Target. (24.99, anyone?)

So back to my "groupie" status.

On Christmas Eve, after Olivia went down for bed, my husband and I were just having a quiet evening at home. He was in the kitchen making some sort of snack, and my phone buzzed.

You have just received a direct message from Angie Smith.

*If I could insert a sound effect here, I would. Something like a car screeeeeeching to a halt.

I jumped off the couch and logged onto Facebook where Angie had messaged me. (Yes, I'd made her become my Facebook friend, even though we've never met in real life. I'm a groupie, remember? Try to keep up.)

The message basically said that she'd noticed my Pathwords score and wanted to know how I got it so high. This is when I start laughing out loud for the following reasons:

1. I started playing Pathwords on Facebook because Angie plays Pathwords on Facebook.

2. The score that she was referencing was not mine. Joel is the genius who is brilliant with letters, and once I started playing, well, he started playing on my account. And his score trumped my score. His score is astronomical.

So...Dilemma.

How to write back Angie (in our first direct contact!) and tell her that it is not me who is the genius but in fact my husband? I knew I had to come clean.

But before I did, I skipped into the kitchen and kissed Joel square on the lips and beamed: "Your genius brain just got me a direct message from Angie...ANGIE!!!"

The saddest part is that Joel knew exactly who I was talking about, even though I've never met this gal in real life. He's heard me go on and on about her as if she were my closest friend. I can't help it! If Angie chooses to live her life out loud and online, and I'm so glad she does, I can't help but relate to 99.9% of everything she says and somehow find myself wishing that Nashville and Seattle were next-door neighbors and that I could meet up with her over the smell of burnt popcorn at Target.

Anyway - I did confess to Angie that the score was Joels - and she seemed to take it in stride. We shared a casual conversation about tricks with Pathwords, Twitter, and her husbands music. (Todd Smith is in the group, Selah) I shall now fight to get every Selah record played in heavy rotation on Spirit 105.3.

I said to Joel on the couch later that night "I think if I had the choice of meeting Justin Timberlake or her, I'd choose her."

Joel said: "Yeah...if you ever talk to her again, I wouldn't lead with that."

:-)

16 comments:

anne said...

I think I understand your situation. You see, you've worked with and are friends with my sister-in-law, Emily. She talks about your family, I saw your Christmas card at her house (super cute), and I totally have your blog linked from my page. I was even tempted to request you as a Facebook friend, but I figured there are enough crazy people out there...the last thing you need is some girl trying to be your new BFF. However, in my mind I see the connection...but I'm not necessarily sure you would have seen it the same way. Alas, you have this confession here which totally opens the door for me. I think I'll make the leap and request you as a friend. :)

P.S. I would love to meet you, but I'm afraid I would have to pick Justin Timberlake if ever given the chance! :) (And I'm convinced that eventually we'll run into each other...we know too many of the same people.)

Paulina said...

Sarah, I have a confession to make. I am the same way with you! I stumbled across your blog from Spirit, then I became a "follower." After that I started following you on Twitter. You have no idea how excited I was that YOU started to follow ME on there! :) I told my sisters, but for some reason they weren't as excited. Oh, and if I don't sound "stalker" enough, I was the person who called on the radio a while back and won the Natalie Grant concert tickets. Yeah, you pretty much are a "celebrity" in my eyes....I would definitely pick you over JT. Now if it was David Beckham or TobyMac, we would have a different story. :)

Stephanie said...

This is really too cute because yes, I too am a HUGE follower of Angie's site, and I too refer to it to my family constantly. Except for the pathwords thing (which has gotten me curious to from reading her site) it's the exact same feeling :) Anyways, I just appreciated it that there are other people who love reading her writings too. So thank you for the camaraderie :)

Eva said...

I think you just described how my day was when I got a reply from Angie the other day! You crack me up Sarah. I sent her an email about the Hope Clinic. I would pick her over JT ANYDAY. I don't know why Target is selling those stick bundles for so much. I remember that blog post! Now I'm getting that way with MckMama oh and Jessica Turner's blog too.

Anonymous said...

Hey, Sarah :-) I'm just a random listener of Spirit 105.3 and an avid reader of your blog. I found Angie's blog through one your posts earlier in the year and am now addicted to her blog too! I think the both of you totally rock. The honesty you both exhibit helps me know that I'm not alone and that most of what I feel and go through is completely normal. Thanks for being real, funny, and sweet :-)

Ball family updates said...

I finally figured out how to link to your blog so now I can get my updates and Olivia fixes faster and not wait for Channah, my Daughter, to send them to me:)
I also had lost your linkage to play the 105.3 site while I am painting, cleaning, or just computering (is that a word?.
Love your site and I also link to Angie's site to keep reading but have never commented on it.

Kev&Rob said...

...ok, I'll join the 'year-end confessions' party:
I feel the exact same way about Donald Miller, Anne Lamott, and Darius Rucker. One of which sleeps under a quilt I made. Two of which will one day (mark my words) sleep under quilts I've made!

Lyndsay said...

I must admit that I'm a Sarah groupie. Ever since you talked about hearing your baby's heartbeat on Spirit I have felt this common bond with you. I had just gone through a miscarriage so at first I wasn't sure that I would be able to listen to you take about your pregnancy everyday on the way home from work. Except at the time I didn't know I was pregnant again. Shortly after that I discovered I was pregnant and we were going through all the same things at the same time. I actually made sure we were in the car when you told Tom over the air that you were having a girl. When you gave birth and named your baby Olivia the name we were going to pick if we had a girl I thought that one was too weird! We have kids that are only 2 weeks apart so when I hear you talk on the air about Olivia or blog about something I'll tell my husband, "hey honey Sarah and Joel are doing this with Olivia we should see if Owen could do that". He's totally used to it by now. So there it is I admit it I'm a totally fan. Happy New Year and Happy 2nd Birthday Olivia! My time flies!!!

Felton/Casey said...

I got hooked on Angie's blog through your blog of course. I also got hooked on Kate McDonald's blog through your blog. And then got hooked on MckMama's blog through Angie's blog. Oh yeah, and love Rocks in my dryer too every Wednesday. This is so addicting, but it is such a fun way to meet other Christians.

Kat said...

hahaha, I'll have to go check out her blog now!

Kat said...

Forgot to mention...Happy Birthday Olivia!!!

I heard you talking today (or was it yesterday?) about how one day Olivia will appreciate having her birthday on New Years Eve, because of all the fireworks and fuss going on, hehehe. Enjoy your special day together. Warmly, Kat

mike and hillary said...

oh geesh, thanks to you i spent almost a WHOLE day reading angie's blog. now i am addicted to it and check it constantly (i cant wait to see what this video is she's trying to upload!). but, i just love her and have been so encouraged reading her story. thanks for "introducing" me to her!

ps. olivia is a doll.

Anonymous said...

Angie's husband is in the group Selah? I don't know Angie, but THAT'S impressive. ;)

By the way, Olivia is absolutely beautiful. I come by your blog occasionally to see how the two of you are doing...although I hear YOU on the radio just about evey day. :)


Angela from Aberdeen

Anonymous said...

Hahaha funny! I too follow Angie. I found her through "Pray for Coy" whom I don't know either! And I love her too, but I have yet to revel myself to her! I found you through Liz who i listen on the radio with countless other millions of people.... So I read all these women bloggers who have no idea and now I am about to add your site to my list! :D Funny

P.S. Your daughter is beautiful!

Free iTunes Codes said...

It's a good thing to have role models. I have many internet marketing role models in my life which in your case would be Angie.

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