Angie B...I'm her "Sub-Buddy"

When Phil and I first moved to Indy last year I was really excited to be near his parents {well actually WITH them for 4 months} and I was REALLY excited that for the first time we were moving somewhere that I had a couple of friends already.

What I didn't anticipate was meeting Angie! In the short time I have known her, she has become one of my favorite people. I believe God put her in my life at the exact time I needed her and I believe that she fulfilled His will by reaching out to me when she did.

Although I sometimes seem to be an outgoing person, it is hard for me to take the initial step to meeting new people. Thankfully, I have been blessed with a husband who likes to push me outside of my comfort zone and challenges me to take steps I wouldn't on my own.

So how did I meet Angie? Funny you should ask, it is quit a random story.

We had just moved to Indy when one of my best friends from high school, Shelby, messaged me to say she also had just moved to Indy {super small world}. On Mother's Day of last year Shelby texted me to say that one of her co-workers played on a volleyball team who needed a girl sub and she couldn't do it, but would I be interested. I have never played volleyball in my life and this was sand volleyball on Mother's Day to boot! In the back of my head I heard Phil saying, "if you want to meet new people, you have to get out there." Oh my lovely husband. So I did it...I said yes and walked up to sand volleyball with a group of people I had never met.

The only other girl on the team that night was Angie. Then I found out she had played volleyball in college and of course this was a competitive league {what the heck was I doing there...4 months after having a baby and in NO WAY prepared to play competitive anything}.

After the games {I can't remember if we won or lost, I was just happy I didn't get hurt and wasn't TERRIBLE} we exchanged pleasantries and discussed that we were both stay-at-home moms. She asked for my number and said that she does play dates and trips to the zoo and whatnot. I honestly believed that she would never call. I mean isn't that like the standard thing people say and then never think of you again. Besides, she obviously had a lot of friends, why would she take the time to make one more.

But I didn't really know Angie. Less than a week later she called me up to ask if I wanted to sub for her Bunco group. Going to play volleyball was out of character enough, but going to a stranger's house {it wasn't even at Angie's house} and walking in to ANOTHER group of women I didn't know...that was REALLY pushing it. But there was Phil in the back of my head. So I went.

AND I LOVED IT!!!!

When Phil asked me later what Bunco was like, I said it was like the Real Housewives of Hamilton County! It was awesome and I wanted in full time!!!

From there Angie and I spent more time together {yes, I am now officially IN the Bunco group and I did play a full fall season on the volleyball team too}. Over the past year I have gotten to know her much better.


She is one of the most thoughtful people I have ever met. When someone mentions something, she takes it to heart and remembers that need. I mentioned that I wanted Emrie to interact more with other kids so she scheduled play dates with us. She asks follow up questions like,"has it has gotten better when I drop her off at the gym?" She remember things I say and acts on them. When she knew that I was hosting girlfriends she offered to take me to Costco and didn’t even get anything for herself, just walked me around and helped me shop.

And she doesn't just do that kind of stuff for me, she does it for all her friends because that is the type of person she is. That is her character. She is caring and sensitive to others and has a huge heart.

While she has the sensitive, caring side, she is also a ton of fun. When we went to Chicago for a girls weekend last October, we had such a blast going out and dancing. Bunco is good for at LEAST a few laughs too. It is the best when she finds something funny and she get this huge grin and squints her eyes. When she finds something funny, it just makes it that much funnier to me and her laugh is so contagious!

One of my favorite qualities about her is that she is a doer and an organizer. She don’t just say, “hey, this would be fun” she actually plans it and follow through, like the Pinterest party night. She invited a handful of friends with daughters over for the night and we ate Pinterest recipes and made skirts and other projects from Pinterest. She is very social, and yet laid back at the same time. Her agenda must be as packed as the president because she is always doing stuff with or for other people and her kids, but you never seem frazzled by the busyness.

On the topic of your kids, the way she has raised them amazes me. They are such sweet, loving, funny, obedient children and it is obvious that she is intentional in raising them. She and her husband have made Christ the center of their house and emphasize that their kids know Him too. Watching her with her kids has helped me to be a better mom, and for that I am grateful.

Her laughter is contagious, her spirit is infectious and her heart is genuine. It is a privilege to have her as my friend and my hope is that I can be half as good of a friend to her and pay it forward to someone new one day.