My current ward has undergone another wave of new move-ins. They read in about 3 new families each week. For those of us who have been there for a time, it is hard to keep up. You don’t know me, I’ve been reading this blog for a few months now but from what I can see you will be fine in any ward you land in and will find kindred spirits wherever you go. Sure you’re out of your comfort zone, but that is one of the tricks the Lord plays on us from time to time to make us stretch! Good luck! (I’m gonna take an extra close look at the new women in my ward – how lucky would I be if one of them were you!)

Kristy, I hope your situation gets better. I really do think it takes time to feel settled and at home, so be patient with yourself. And remember, you have US!

The other thing that has it’s plusses and minuses (as everything I think, but in your post specifically) is being in Primary. The children really don’t care how long you’ve been in the ward. Not really. And truthfully – it won’t matter how long you’re in the ward – you still won’t know who the parents are after a time because new people will move in and they’ll leave your children without introducing themselves so that it’s 6 months before you put parents and child(ren) together and you just pray that they’re in the right class (if they’re not on the rolls).

Moving bites. All you can do is give it time….and remind yourself all the time how you are awesome and assume everyone wants to be your friend. Or better yet, act like they already are. And if my dream house just so happens to be in CO we can hang out when I move there.

I’m starting to think there’s something wrong with me. My husband (who like yours has not skipped a beat, he has his brothers around after all) says that I just need to try harder. So I’ve been trying to up my game lately to no avail. At a recent Enrichment night I determined I would sit by people rather than my usual take an empty chair and see if people sit by me. I walked in, sat next to a lady at the last table with vacancies and tried really hard to make conversation with the people around me only to be met with one word answers and courtesy responses (you know, the kind you get from your kids when you ask how their day was at school) in combination with long glances around the room for something better to do. After a short time a couple of them opted to ditch the RS get together for a much more enlightening past time known as the mall. The other lady humored me for a short time, making as little eye contact as possible then she too left and I was by myself. I guess I should give myself kudos since I broke with the norm and didn’t start that way.

The real clincher her is all the late arrivals who rather than sit with me at my very empty table conveniently positioned right at the entrance for easy noticability they walked right on by to over crowded tables with no chairs. Apparently I’m the only one who need a chair and a little space to make my chore charts.

I have to admit the socializing does get easier over time. A little at a time. For now you can just sit back and wonder about people you see at church without the burden (OK and the joy, too)of knowing their real stories- what’s under that glossy exterior.

And I seriously love this post.

The good news is, this will all resolve in time. Just remember that when you’re new, you kinda have to be the initiator. Everyone else is already settled into their cliques and routines, so it’s up to you to make sure those friendships happen. That’s hard in a new place, but it pays off in the end, as I’m sure you already know. Hang in!

I’m rambling. My point. I feel your pain. It’s normal. I have to think of it this way. Back in the day, when I was the “old” one, and someone new moved in, didn’t I love it when they sat next to me and introduced themselves and began to chat? Yes I did. What a relief it was. So, you can be that person without worrying. You know that you would like you.