my anniversary

As of today, I have been blogging for a year.  I'm a bit stunned - by the speed of time, of course, but also by the fact that I still feel like a blogging neophyte.   I  just learned how to assign categories to my posts, and still have not found a header I love.  But here I am, one year in...for better or worse.

What I've learned in this year of blogging:

*.  It is infinitely easier for me to open up to others through writing.  I'm not face-to-face gushy, and certainly am not a hugger.  So blogging has introduced a forum where I can comfortably express myself.

*   There are AMAZING women everywhere...and so many have impacted me so fully in this forum - with everything from new recipes to renewed faith.   

*   I can't compare myself to others.  This goes hand in hand with #2.  That many amazing women can certainly be intimidating.  When I browse blogs and see professional photographs, mad sewing skills, perfect parenting, awe-inspiring writing...well, it can sometimes overwhelm. 

*   An at-home mother of littles needs an at-home outlet.

*   Friendships discovered over the internet are not as freakish as they sound.  I was trying to explain this phenomenon to a friend the other day.  Jenny's Christmas card was hanging up and he asked who it was, how I knew her, etc.  And I watched his eyes widen in wonder at the fact that this was a person I had met on the...internet (gasp!).  To be fair, my eyes widened in equal wonder (of the very nearly appalled variety) when Kelly first mentioned blogging to me over a year ago.  Yet..I truly treasure my friendships with each person on my sidebar. 

*   People - at least this person - need connection.  Renewed contact with many of my old friends has enriched my life...reminded me in some odd way of who I am and was before childbearing bumped me into forgetfullness.  Last night April & her family came over for dinner.  Oh my.  It was the perfect evening.  The kids were a dream, and the four adults just talked for hours.  Sitting & chatting with her & Dave was so like old times (with the welcome new addition of my Jim, of course).  All this because of blogging.  

*   I took maybe 100 pictures total in 2006.  2007?  I'm sure I'm in the thousands.   Not all of these appear on my blog, obviously, but I have been so much better at documenting my boys and our life. 

*   My husband thinks I'm great.  Okay, that sounds ridiculous, but we are all truthfully bundles of insecurity, no?  My insecurities wonder if he only sees the girl who hates to clean bathrooms and seemingly loves a house laden with laundry piles (my identity as a housekeeper definitely is in crisis at times). I have been grateful for the connection of Jim reading and talking about my writing and pictures.  I honestly don’t think he forgets that I’m not just the girl who makes his dinner, but I know that I do.

*   Writing about life allows one to step back and see the bigger picture far more often.  And the bigger picture's theme is ALWAYS love & abundance & gratitude.  Seriously.  What a blessing. 

Comments

[Megan]

that cake looks great. nice thoughts too.

[Price Cream Parlor]

Beautiful post today! I feel the same way about this amazing blogging journey! Who would have thought that it would have been this much fun and this fulfilling?

[Amy]

Ha! Megs, I did NOT make that cake to share with myself to celebrate...it's a random representation of my one year. Or something like that. But, I'll agree that it does look good!

[April]

We should have taken a picture of the chocolate and peppermint ice cream cake creation from last night...my Savannah is still talking about it.

I echo all these thoughts about blogging. From the eyebrows to the deep contented sighs...especially the last two notes. I get a similar reaction from Dave and I love the perspective writing about my life is giving me. Thank you for introducing me to this forum that has reintroduced me to some of the people I love the most.

Happy Anniversary!

[Elizabeth]

Congratulations! I am glad you started a blog. I agree with your list completely!

[Anna]

Well said...you captured so well what blogging is/can be. Happy 1 year to you!

[Shanon]

At first I thought I'd forgotten your wedding anniversary and was confused because I could have sworn it was in August! Congrats on the 1 year blogging anniversary! And I am proud of you for taking so many pictures. I think this year we switched positions. You took tons and I took hardly any it seems. Thanks for coming yesterday. We love you guys!

[Mandi]

Ditto. Ditto to everything - I don't think I could have worded it better in a million years, but I do agree with every point you made.

[Amberly]

I, for one, am certainly glad you are a faithful blogger. I don't comment as often as I should, but truly appreciate that at-home moms need a connection to others in the outside world, a connection that is so often inspiring and uplifting in a way that these men we married may never understand! congrats on your milestone, and rest assured, that laundry will get done when it's good and ready. or when there is nothing left in the dresser...

[Megan T]

Happy blog birthday/anniversary! And please don't compare yourself to my perfect parenting/baking/cooking/sewing abilities... (ok I am laughing my head off now). That is why I come to your blog to be inspired. After all it was partially your blog that made me jump into this crazy blog world! I am so glad that you write for us all and that you still, after a year, want to keep doing it!

[mandy]

Congratulations on your blogversary. :) It's funny that just a year ago we became blogging sistas. I'm glad you're a blogger.

[love squalor]

such a great assessment. here's to another year!

[Tiffany]

So true! I love how you put your thoughts into beautiful words. I am in sync with you on your first thought--me being gushy? Never. (Except maybe over my own little baby!) I am so glad to have this connection with my wonderful friends again--I am so very grateful.

[Jill]

Happy Anniversary! This is a great post and I can totally relate to the things you've listed here. I don't think it's weird at all to be getting Christmas cards and good mail from people I've never met before, because I feel like I know them.

I'm not mushy or a hugger either, but I'm able to convey my feelings and share very personal thoughts on my blog easily. Crazy.

[Marie]

Happy Anniversary! I too was surprised at how much I like to get connected with internet friends, (Hello, that's was we are!) and how normal it feels. Glad we found each others's lives!

[Kelly]

Oh, happy blogiversary to you! You'll never know how happy it made me that you jumped on board with me. It's brought so many real blessings to my life to be connected with you on a nearly daily basis again. I love that.

I do, on occasion, feel a bit like Lou Horowitz with my "internet friends" and all, but it's decidedly worth it. And, I feel the same way about all the points you wrote, except for the one about Jim reading your blog. Keith doesn't read mine, which honestly bothers me a bit since it's such a part of my soul that I'm revealing. And my brother-in-law reads it daily, for heaven's sake. (Okay, rant over.)

[jenny c.]

I couldn't ditto your post more. My kids often point to those blogging cards and ask who is that mom?? I too have rekindled several highschool friends. It's been so great!

Happy Blogging Anniversary and here is to several more years!

[Lucy]

I'm so glad I found your blog! You captured all the things I love about blogging too! Happy Anniversary.

[Rassy]

Hee Hee. Kelly's "Lou Horowitz" comment made me giggle. Haven't thought of him in a million years!

Thanks for the great pics of the girls and the fun morning hanging out today--witch socks and all!

[Amy]

Oh Rassy...it is indeed a special day when my blog gets a comment from you! I loved our casual hang-out this morning, too. And I'll echo the Lou Horowitz giggle. Leave it to Kel to resurrect that name!

[sista #2]

Very cool! (p.s. the twins are soooo cute. so are the other babes! lucky you) ciao

[kelly]

When are we going to convert the Angies??

[Amy]

Ha! Don't you think I've tried?! My subtle artistry is evidently not enough, I fear. Time to bring out the big guns of Kelly coercion, I say.

[Rassy]

OK. I've broken my streak of "too busy to check blogs very often" as I've looked at yours 3 times today (am I expecting multiple posts?). Maybe I just like scrolling down and looking at my babies' pics (though they are in the other room sleeping IN PERSON). Or maybe I'm having such a hard time writing our family Christmas letter that I'm creating distractions to postpone the inevitable. If penning 3 paragraphs is this painful, how in the world could I expect to keep up a blog? Plus, I don't know the first thing about how to create one.

[Barb]

Happy Anniversary! I have reflected on what blogging has done for me, and you named many of the same things. I'm glad to have you as a friend, even if people's eyes widen when I explain it!

[Amy]

Oh, Ang, I can easily remedy your blog ignorance! And parenting alone brings plenty of writing material. Christmas letters are similarly beyond me. I'm agonizing over deciding between a letter (that I have not written), a poem (that I have not written) or a simple "Merry Christmas!" stuffed in an envelope.

[Rassy]

I could read your Mary poem every year. I wouldn't be opposed to getting it again!

[Kelly]

I second the Mary poem. Seriously you should have that published. It's the most beautiful thing.

And Rassy ... we can easily help you with the setting up of a blog. That's the easy part! But, really, it would be an amazing record for you of your sweet babies as they grow. You think you will remember all those little things. But, somehow it slips away from you. And you can't remember which kid called Cinderella "Shunda lalla", or exactly how old they were when they learned to wave "hi".

Plus, selfishly, I just want to see pictures of Grace and Sophie all the time.

Do it.

[Katie]

I agree that blogging is a great and much needed outlet at times. With lives being so busy, where else would you have the opportunity to connect with so many people at once? And make so many new friends?

Happy Anniversary!

[lelly]

happy blogiversary!! i am SO glad to know you!

[carlo]

happy, happy milestone, indeed! :)

i have loved getting to know you!

your post captured the best of the best.