"When Nick Jonas is 26, I'll be 20," my daughter Maeve said with the sun in her eyes in the back seat as we drove to Point Pleasant.
 

"I have experience with diabetes," she said, making her case for why she'd be his ideal bride.
 

I have been blogging in the diabetes community for about two years now. Never have I actually met any of my invisible friends; these physical strangers that know more about me than my extended family does. There's definitely a certain safeness in existing only in words.
 

All that changed on Saturday when I met up with fellow diabetes blogger and parent of a child with diabetes, Shannon and her family. Shannon's 8-year-old son Brendon was diagnosed when he was just a toddler.
 

Shannon admits she was a little nervous. Well, I was too. It was like our family was going on a blind date with another family. It was like the movie "You've Got Mail," only without the romance and without the rival bookstores trying to run each other out of business. It was more like "You've Got Diabetes."
 

So, we met at my mother's place down the shore and planned for some lunch and then a walk up to the boardwalk where the kids could go on rides and play games.
 

As a fan of Shannon's blog, I've come to know her as someone who appreciates, as do I, some of the finer forms of expression. I expected her to walk into my mom's house with F-bombs a blazin'. There was plenty of opportunity for such as the day went on.
 

"How much F-ing further is the boardwalk?"
"I thought you said it was only a half a F-ing mile away?"
"F! This is good ice cream!"
”Holy F! why is HE wearing a thong?"
 

No such luck. Shannon was delightful and completely G-rated. And for the record, I thought my thong was flattering.
 

Charlie had never played with another boy close in age with diabetes. He never saw another little boy have his blood sugar tested or treat a low with a juice box.  It was a very special and unique afternoon for all of us, but especially Charlie. Meeting Brendon, who is big, strong and athletic, only reinforced to Charlie that having diabetes isn't such a bad thing. Nick Jonas? Brendon? Charlie felt like he was in good company.
 

And when Brendon attempted to sit alone with Maeve on one of the rides (oh, he was smoove like that), Charlie insisted that he and Brendon sit together.
 

"Because we both have diabetes," he said.
 

The whole experience was just really cool. There's no other way to put it. Shannon, her husband Jeff and her kids are awesome – funny, likable and totally down to Earth. Walking in each other's shoes as parents of children with diabetes for so many years created an immediate bond between us. And the kids? Took them all of about 7 seconds to become friends.
 

Imagine this scene. With all the kids wanting to go on different rides at the boardwalk, Shannon took her daughter and Charlie to the motorcycle ride. As if I was handing it off to someone I've known for years, I say, "oh, Charlie's diabetes bag." As they walk away, I hear Shannon say, "Charlie, how do you feel?"
 

Charlie was in very good hands.
 

Making our way back to my mother's house, we were all a little pooped. Especially the kids. Charlie gladly accepted a ride on Jeff's shoulders (enjoying the view from way up there) and I pushed Shannon's kids in the jogging stroller as we "popped wheelies" down Purple Heart Boulevard.
 

It was all bizarre, very cool and really nice at the same time.