Hugging my Bloggy Friends for #HugABlogger Day

When I started blogging, there weren’t really many other bloggers out there.  And I was stuck at home with an infant, feeling isolated and removed from a society that I once held a respectable job in, one where people listened to what I had to say.  I had no idea that when I began, I was venturing into a whole new land and what was soon to become an network of impressive women from around the world.

For so many women, blogging is a way to reach out and find other Moms, an attempt to ease some of the isolation that comes from being a stay at home Mom.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have started blogging when I did and for finding so many other great friends and Moms out there like me.  It sometimes blows my mind that I’ve met all of these inspiring women and I’m very thankful to have so many of them in my life.  I’m lucky enough to see many of them in person at events — I only wish I could see them more!

So what spurred this outpouring of bloggy love from me?  One of my good bloggy friends, Vera, started a carnival of posts for us to celebrate next Monday’s Hug a Blogger Day.  Vera has the biggest heart and I am so glad to know her and love how she inspires us all to post about this and to spread the love!  Spread the love yourself by posting your own blog/hug photos and link below!

[Edited to add.  I’ve gone back to add locations after everyone’s name.  Just to show how stretched out all over the place we all are and how blog friendships know no distance!]

With some of my amazing Philly girls at BlogHer 2010.  These girls inspire me daily!  From L to R: Melissa from Girlymama, me, Shannon from Chester County Moms, Jo-Lynne from Musings of a Housewife (All Philadelphia)

Also from BlogHer 2010.  Two wonderful friends I’ve known since the very beginning (Julie’s a friend from before blogging!) Candice from Fashionably Organized (Los Angeles) is on the left and Julie from Just Precious (Philadelphia) is on the right.

From Mom 2.0 in 2011.  Here I am with Erica from Women on the Fence. (Montreal) I only met Erica this year and I’m so thankful to have met her.  She’s inspirational.  I’m constantly amazed at how positive and encouraging all of her posts and tweets are.  I often read a tweet from her and think how much I love how positive she consistently is.

I had a ton of pictures of my close friend Colleen from Classy Mommy. (Philadelphia)  Pictures of us at various blogging events, conferences and more.  Dressed up, on the red carpet at an award show in southern California and in running gear in various cities.  Colleen’s my partner in crime at many events.  I had a lot of better pictures of us but I thought this picture of us after a run in New Orleans was fitting.  Because Colleen’s always motivating me – both to get up and go for a run and to get out there and get our next great business venture going.  She motivates me to go for it and friends like that are hard to come by.  Plus we’re also convinced we were sisters in another life or twins who were switched at birth because we have an eerie amount of things in common.

This photo just still cracks me up.  This was taken in April 2011.  Adam from Dada Rocks stepped in to fill in for Colleen, who was home with sick kids.  I was up in NYC for Audrey (Rhode Island) and Vera’s (Long Island) Getting Gorgeous event and as the four of us collaborate often, we wanted to get a picture of the four of us.  Adam stepped in as “Colleen” and we were all cracking up.  Love working with these ladies!

This picture’s from BlogHer 2009.  I love these girls.  I’m on the left, Jill from the Daily Grind of the Work at Home Mom(Boston area) is in the middle and Jodi from Mom’s Favorite Stuff (Boston area) on the right.  I’ve known both of these ladies for awhile when it comes to blogging years and adore them both.  I haven’t seen Jill in ages (Miss you, Jill!)

Okay I’m stopping.  I could go on and on.  But you guys get the picture!

Want to get involved? Here’s how:

• Post a picture(s) of you hugging a fellow blogger(s) on your site.
• Explain why you love that person
• Add the link to the linky.