Acclimating

So it seems as though we're really acclimating to being in our new home. I mean, we got used to the house almost immediately, but I feel like just this week we're getting settled into our new town, and our new lives.

I've never been the most outgoing person, and that's reflected by my close circle of friends (I'm not the kind of person to have upwards of 200 "friends" on Facebook, for example). I have no problem making small talk upon meeting new people, but, as my friend Jayne put it, I have trouble "closing the deal" and asking for someone's phone number or making arrangements to go for coffee or something after Gymboree. The fact that I don't even drink coffee might have something to do with that.

Steve and I had a long talk about this before we moved. We concluded that it was going to be time for me to step out of my shell, for real. We couldn't live like hermits and have no friends in the area, and as Steve was going to be working 12+ hour days it was up to me to make the connections. I was scared, but it made sense.

When we were up here last February, the realtor we were working with gave me the name of a mom's group called The Mother connection. I joined a few months ago, before we actually moved. It's a network of moms from my town and surrounding towns. There's a message board where moms discuss everything from the best rates on oil and good handymen in the area to preschools and playdates. A few weeks ago there was a posting for a walking group that met right in town, about a mile away from our new house. I decided that I was going to join this walking group. So I did - I went for the first time yesterday, and I really had a good time. I'd made it my goal to exchange information with at least one mom there, and I was able to achieve that goal too. The mom I exchanged with has a son who is just one week younger than Ben. She actually said that she's been looking for other kids their age to have a playdate with, because the kids who live in their neighborhood are all older. Now I just have to get up the balls to actually email her. Maybe tomorrow... :)

I also joined the Newcomers Club, which has a Moms & Tots division. I went to one of their playgroups last week, and had such a good time. It was great to have actual adult conversations (even though we did just talk about our kids). I only managed to stick my foot in my mouth once - I was telling some of the other moms about our decision to put Ben into school/daycare and mentioned that I found one of the other facilities to be really dirty... that's when one of them said, "That's where my kids go!!" I was mortified. I apologized profusely, but really, what can you do in that kind of situation? Other than blush?

Anyway, I really liked two of the moms, but was too shy to ask for their numbers or give out mine. I was really hoping that they would make the first move.

(Just a quick aside - I just put on Dr. Phil and today's episode is about bullying. The first clip of the show had all these people standing up saying, "I was bullied." It really brought tears to my eyes, because I was bullied too. More on that in a future post.)

As one of the moms I thought I could connect with was leaving, she asked if I was going to the Halloween party that Moms & Tots was throwing. I took that as a good sign that she'd want to hang out. Well, the party is tomorrow, and Ben, Logan and I will be there... looking for some future mom friends.