Well, as a first time Mommy Blogger on Mix 94.1 I'll do my diligence and introduce myself a little bit and what I'm doing here!

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flickr/longhorndave
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This first entry is coming to you from a young, first time mom of a 10-month-old, amazing, beautiful baby girl, I am a foodie, cook, baker, blogger and nomad. I moved to the Amarillo area from Nashville in November with my husband and since then, trying to find my nook. We transferred from the Music City to the Panhandle due to a job opportunity for my husband.

I have been (and so thankfully!) a stay at home mom since September. So, not only is it tough being a first time mommy and navigating those challenges and triumphs but... in a brand new town. With nobody. No family. No friends. Not even a doctor to call my own!

It's always a different story... how and why we end up where we are (we've moved around a lot - not military), I'll spare the deets. But, one thing remains, I'm having to start from scratch. Start new. Start fresh. And I'll be the first to tell you... it's hard. It's lonely and humbling and nothing short of a task. All the while.. raising an infant. Leaving behind my very first group of "mommy friends," our trusted doctors, and our comforts of a place, as a family, we called home. And lest I forget, trying to figure out how I am going to entertain her in this new town. Make her a little circle of baby friends. And let's be real, friends for me too.

So, in pursuit of gaining both of us some friends, I took to the internet. Like so many do, whether in friendship seeking or love matching, the internet always lends some answers. Amarillo hasn't the plethora of Mom groups on meetup.com so I vetted a few on Facebook. I have joined three and been somewhat active in one. I started doing what I have affectionately started to call "mom dating." And it is... just like... dating. And I did not meet my husband via internet so this was my first dip in the pool of online "dating." Firstly, how awkward but so necessary for moms with young babies! It's practically impossible to meet other moms with infants if you're new in town and aren't members of any outside groups, churches, or gyms. Right?!

I messaged a few ladies back and forth and have gone on "dates"...it's as nerve-racking  as the real thing. You're putting yourself out there (with your kid in the Bjorn) and hoping they like what they see. You might be thinking... "Why doesnt she.." and "She should try this..." Well, I will say, I am 26 and grew up on the internet. If I can't find it on Google, Pinterest or Facebook... I'll be hard pressed to try and find the answer anywhere else.

My experience with moving here to this small town in particular is.. more than any of the other moves, it's going to take time. But with persistence and patience I will find my nook. Stepping out of my comfort zone is not foreign to me, in fact I see myself as someone who doesn't really have a comfort zone. I just keep trying new things. I'll find friends. I'll find entertainment. It just takes time. I think with this move in particular, I have been in such a hurry to make myself comfortable that I am losing sight of what is really important - getting my family comfortable in our new home and town. The rest will fall into place when it should.

I can't say I am going to put mom dating on hold, but I will definitely take my time. I gotta get used to this weather, first.

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