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1.18.2012

THIS ONE'S FOR GABY


{the other day my little brother came home from school with a note for me written by one of his classmates, who reads this blog and had just realized that i was his sister. it was straight up old-school style, on folded up notebook paper. it was the sweetest, loveliest little letter. it about made me cry. so, this post is for gaby.}

four years ago i found this blog. a friend of mine recommended it to me and i was hooked right away. i knew her. i mean, i didn't know her, but i knew her. she was my tribe. you know what i mean?

two years ago i sat on her couch in a dream, and we talked and talked and talked about everything there was to talk about. when i woke up i felt conflicted. on the one hand--creepy!--but on the other hand, it felt significant. it felt like it meant something. 

i am happy to say that over time that blogger became one of my most treasured real-life friends. isn't that a happy ending? and just today i sat on three of her couches. and it was exactly like i thought it would be.

i've met a lot of my favorite bloggers in the past year, and my favorite part is always that first moment where you wonder to yourself, "is this going to be awkward?" and then the second moment right after that where you realize, "not even one bit." 

i ask myself from time to time, what am i doing with this blog anyway? because sometimes it gets awful or irritating or weird and i forget. i'm not doing it for the money (though being able to help pay the rent is a nice bonus) or for the "attention" ("blog fame" is a dumb, dumb thing).  i'm doing it because at the best of it it can mean something. who knows what, but something. to a lot of us.

every time i get an email, or meet a reader, or get a note passed to me from my brother from a high school friend that says, "i feel like i know you," or "i bet we'd be friends in real life," or "i promise i'm not a creepy stalker!"

i always say, 

"i know!"

because, you know what?

i know.

so thank you for the note, gaby. i LOVED it.
i hope to see you around t-town some time, sis

xo
natalie
(go wolves!)

53 comments:

  1. one of your sweetest posts ever.

    *HUGS*

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  2. Oh my, the sweetest story ever. Gosh, it makes me remember all of those notes in folded up notebook paper that I wrote when I was a kid.

    In other news, I bet we'd be friends in real life!

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  4. awww, i wish i were her! then i'd feel SO cool seeing my name in your blog title. but, alas, i don't go to school with your brother and my name's not gaby and i've never written you a note on folded up paper. darn it.

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  5. Absolutely love this. :) that girl sounds awesome and I can totally relate to this post. bloggers unite!

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  6. Okay. Good. So now I can officially feel "un-creepy" for saying exactly this to my husband every time I read your posts:

    "If we lived in New York I would spend all of my time hoping and praying to meet Nat the Fat Rat because she feels like my best friend already."

    So. Not creepy. Right?

    reverie

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  7. As one of your readers who through a "creepy" puppy woe email claimed that "we'd be friends in real life", this means a lot. Natalie you're a gem and those glasses!!! Home run dude.

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  8. Your blog was open on my computer and my husband saw it and just because Henry is close in age and shape to our son, thought it was a picture of him and was sure that he stumbled across a secret blog of mine where I lie about my life. Haha.

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  9. i met a blogger here in nyc, and it's true - i got all nervous but it was great. and now we're pals and do stuff together and everything. just like real friends. blogging rocks.

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  10. I love this post made me smile so much--and haven't met that many bloggers {london bloggers are more reserved or don't want to meet me, I like to think its the fomer, or more realistically I prob don't put mysef out there} but its always those butterflies of whether its going to be awlward and then its like you are friends--weird to try and explain.

    This comment is not my best by far, my brain is not functioning but I hope you get it on some level.

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  11. such a great story! it is amazing how we connect to each other, some similar we might be, how unafraid to show our love for a person we may/or may not know.

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  12. I can relate to this post too! I wish I could meet the bloggers I love in real life.

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  13. LOVE this... Blogging does mean something... it's where we can connect and relate to one another even though we are miles apart. It's like what Meg Ryan said in you've got mail..."But I just want to say that all this nothing has meant more to me than so many somethings".
    Knowing that someone else knows how you feel? Love it.

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  14. I uncreepily totally dig your blog. I'm quite a bit older than you and I don't have little kids anymore - all big grown up teens and one about to get married. My life ALMOST looked like yours but took a slightly different turn, and sometimes when I read your blog I feel like I get a glimpse of what a slightly different version of my life would have looked like Natalie. And I don't know why but that satisfies some deep need I have. So thank you for your blog.

    And we would totally be friends in real life.

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  15. love your blog. it means something to me too.

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  16. it means something to me too!

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  17. I've been reading your blog for a VERY long time. And when I started reading, I went back to the very beginning and read every single post. So to this date, I have read every post on natthefatrat and the now defunct asktherat and natnests. I DO feel like I know you and I DO feel like we could be friends. You are one special lady Natalie, to have all this love.

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  18. So wonderful! What a wonderful gift to get a note like that. And so many of your readers feel this way! I've totally had the "I swear I'm not a stalker!" thoughts, and I'm so glad to know that you understand.

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  19. I love everything about this post. Also, fun fact, I had a spectacular dream once that you and I went on a long road trip to buy a hot pink chair from Craigslist!

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  20. I totally wrote you an e-mail like that once :) haha Great post!

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  21. I love your new banner with the antlers! Perfection.

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  22. so adorable! and your glasses are fantastic!

    www.modernsuburbanites.blogspot.com

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  23. This totally makes sense to me. Because as stalkerish and creepy as I feel saying it, I would love to sit on your couch and have a conversation over diet cokes someday.

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  24. Such a sweet post! Amazing how quickly words and sharing can bond us to essentially complete strangers!

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  25. it only makes sense that you and cjane would be bffs because both of you are incredible women. i'm a huge fan.

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  26. I have to agree with so many of these ladies! We've pretty much all had this moment while reading your blog.

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  27. sweet post. and something important to remember... that we all feel that weird stalkerish way. but really, we arent! :]

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  28. First Nat, you being your truest self gives me inner permission to be my truest self. And Gaby, you just did the same. Thank you ladies for being you, it makes me feel free to be me. (shall we sing Kumbaya now? :))

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  29. This makes me feel better about the slightly creepy post I left on your facebook wall.

    It's always a little strange to feel like you know a blogger you've never met. But you know what? That's ok. 'Cause you're pretty darn inspiring Natalie Holbrook.

    "It takes courage to grow up and become you really are."

    Kudos to you for succeeding.

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  30. I hate that bloggers get a bad rap. I mean the braggy mommy blogs are obnoxious. But you aren't that even though you have the cutest baby in the universe. Holla to the Huck! You are a writer! People have always read daily musings from different newspaper columnists. We read books and feel like we know the author in a lot of ways. It's because the written word touches a part of our souls that connect us as brothers and sisters. Because really at our core that's what we are... Family. You are an amazing writer. Your willingness to share your life with us as a gift is so precious. I think we have responded to you so deeply because you have taken the most precious people in your life and given up a part if yourself to give to us. And you did it for a long time before there was any reward tied to it other than enjoyment. Thank you for sharing Julie, Alex, Guapo, Blake, Brandon and mostly Huck with all of us. We are rooting for you all. Your family and most importantly you, in a way, have become our family. And we love you.

    (now that was super stalkery but totally heartfelt in a non creepy way promise)

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  31. Love this and love that you got a handwritten note. That should go in a 'compliments folder'--do you have one of those? My friend in college told me to start one. "Save all the good things people say," she said, "you'll need them from time to time!" :) Also, is that a new header I see? Love it!!

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  32. What a sweet story, and a great reminder of all the wonderful things that come from blogging! Also, I'm super glad to hear that high school kids still know how to fold fancy notes!

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  33. You are a wonderful writer. I think it's great you can get paid for doing what you love AND stay with your Huck all the day. Best of both worlds. You've worked hard for it! Good job! (I oversue exclamation points!!! AH!)

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  34. pretty much it's my dream to meet you. One day last week I saw someone who looked like your husband. After a little while I realized it wasn't him but then I started imagining what I would do if I was ever in that situation because I mean it could totally happen.
    (This is how it went down in my head)
    I imagined that I was in Ikea feeling lost because I couldn't find my way to the exit.(as you could imagine I always feel lost in that store.) I was walking past the kids stuff when I saw a precious little baby boy, Remembering him from somewhere. The very moment I realized it was Huck you turned around and were facing me. So....naturally that's when I ran to you and gave you a hug. You looked so confused (even though I'm sure this is a normal occurrence) then I remembered that you didn't know me and that I just know you. well sort of. haha

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  35. thanks for this! I blogged about how when I went to Time Out for Women in Sydney Australia I was a few feet away from a woman whose blog I read. I totally wanted to go up and say hi (we had exchange emails a few times) but I just couldnt do it. I felt super stupid. I almost felt like it was so rediculous and I should give up blogging... Then I wondered if people who read my blog feel that way?? Its nice to think we would all be friends in real life...

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  36. I just loved this post! It's the best thing in the world to get a letter or email from someone; I remember the very first time I received one, and I thought, "think goodness I'm not as big of a weirdo as I thought.." :)

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  37. I remember sending that "creepy/stalker" email to you a few years ago and how kind you were to meet me and the kiddos for ice cream- its one of those experiences that stays with us- every time we go to that gelato place we talk about Miss Natalie and how much fun it was to meet her!

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  38. This is so awesome!

    I feel this way, too. And I love that you wrote this post for that sweetheart! And I feel like we could be friends in real life, too!

    Kindness on the internet - not to be taken for granted!

    xo,
    Kim

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  39. I love this post. You have such a talent for expressing your feelings and making them so beautiful. I'm so glad I found your blog!

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  40. awesome!

    I am so glad you understand and are all just "I know!" and you mean it!!!

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  41. YAAAAAY! I'm Gaby's cousin that introduced her to your blog. I'm 10 years older than her and obviously am far more interested in mom/life/style blogs of a late-20 something...but, Gaby is quite the mature lady so I knew she'd love it. Gaby is the best. I mean it - THE BEST. The kindest heart, the prettiest eyes and the exuberance people dream of - that's my cousin.

    Aaaah, thank you for doing this and looking past her slightly stalkerish note! Her excitement made my year :)

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    Replies
    1. I second what she says about Gaby. She is a wonderful young woman! What we all hope our daughters grow and mature to be. Lovely inside and out. So happy Gaby got this awesome shout out! And now I'm subscribing to your blog too. :)

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  42. I love this post! My best friend and I always say that if you lived in Sydney, since we're so alike, we'd hang out with you and Huckleberry all the time!

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  43. I love this because honestly I think we do each have our own little friendship with you. It's so awesome! we care about you and know that if you knew us as well you'd love us back!

    -samantha

    www.whiteleygang.blogspot.com

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  44. This was so sweet of you to take the time to write this for her.

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  45. I met my very best friend here in France because of her blog. And it was never ever awkward :-)

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  46. Hi, Natalie!

    It's Gaby :) Thank you soooo much for taking the time to write this for me! You have no idea how much it meant to me (or actually, according to your post, you probably do). I feel so honored, and really really happy that the note got passed along to you. I'm also happy to know I'm not as creepy as I thought!
    Upon reading this, I promptly started freaking out and may have shed a few tears of excitement...This all just seems so surreal to me! I think it was the most excited I've been in ages. I still can't get over your kindness of writing me back IN A BLOG POST :) Again, I can't thank you enough for replying to my message; this post is my most treasured internet thing out of all internet things, ever. Natalie, I think you're the tops, and I look forward to meeting you one day :) You're amazing, you're definitely my idol!

    Lots of love,

    Gaby

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  47. bravo. so glad you get it. so glad you were on both sides of the same coin. so glad you shared. i am embarrassed to admit that after reading scads of blogs over the last 4 years, it is just recently that I have started to comment. i foolishly assumed that my voice would be a teardrop in an ocean of noise. what is one other comment? but i had no idea what kind of commitment and gumption it takes to put yourself out there and share your voice until i published my first post last week.

    and yes, we do feel that we know you. we do occasionally have dreams where we actually meet someone that we respect and admire and why shouldn't that someone be you? i stumbled upon your blog rather accidentally today but after reading a bit i know it was no accident. and as i like to say, you'd be one of my peeps.

    Emily
    chezviviv.blogspot.com

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  48. Love this post and comments. You are dear and it shines through your writing. Thanks again!

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  49. Love this post (just read it, I'm new to your blog!). I'm a semi-new blogger to and I have something like 18 followers or something, but I just love blogging and letting out little bits of my life. It means something to me too.

    val
    The Daily Distraction

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