Real thoughts on Blogging {& why I do it}

Since this is my 1000th post {for real!} I thought I would blog a little bit about blogging...

I started blogging New Year's of 2010.  Crazy!  We were just married.  I was a nanny for four adorable children and Adam worked for a staffing agency.  We had our healthy, young pup, Murdock, but no kids of our own.  Fast forward 999 posts later and we've got two kids {two and under}, we'll be celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary this fall, we have a lakehome in addition to our condo, a minivan, and a photography business.  I am now the coordinator of Student and Continuing Medical Education for physicians at a hospital and Adam is a GPO specialist with an IT company {don't even ask me to explain what that means!} Unbelievable how much has changed since this all began.  And yet, I love dreaming about where we're headed from here.

I read blogs long before I started writing, and to be honest, I don't even think I knew I was reading 'blogs.'  I just came across a few families that had 'websites' and loved reading along.  Pretty soon I wanted to start one of my own.  To write our thoughts and journal about our life.  It helped my sort things out when I was still finding myself as a newlywed.  I write about small things that happen on the daily and big things that are milestones in our life.  I have learned I'm much better about writing small things, sometimes overlooking the largest things of all, but I love looking back to see what I felt was important enough to write about at that time.

I didn't tell a soul {except Adam} about this blog for over a year I think.  Since then, I've told a few people, to be honest, I don't even know who knows about this blog or not.  {I think more family knows about it that I think}  I'll admit, there are times when I still wish I was totally private so I could really say some things that are on my mind without hurting people, but as a whole I don't really care who knows about it.  At the beginning I think I wrote for others.  I even did giveaways and reviews.  I was really worried about getting new followers.  Now, I mainly write for myself and remembering things about my family.  Sometimes I'll do a product review if they are giving something that I think my family would like, b it's more about documenting my kids' life since I'm terrible at baby books and printing pictures!

I love the friendships that have come from this blog.  I've never met any blog friends in real life, but it's amazing to me the community that bloggers create.  Other than blogging for me and my memories, that's probably the best thing that's come from this blog.  I know lots of people {like my husband} laugh about blogging and think it's weird, in fact I always giggle a little when I say it, because even though I blog, I don't consider myself a 'blogger.'

I LOVE reading blogs and wish I still commented on blogs like I used to.  I'm going to blame this one on my kids.  I used to read and comment on blogs nightly.  Now that my nights are filled with babies until I go to bed {which I love & and am so fortunate for!}, I read blogs over my lunch hour, but rarely comment due to time.  I do however, make a point to reply to all comments {that are real & have reply email addresses}.  If someone takes the time to comment on my post, I think it's important to take a couple of minutes to reply back to them.  I used to bother me that 'big bloggers' never commented, but now I  understand it would be a full time job to reply to all comments.  Also, I understand why blog friends quit blogging {not only does it take time, but kids grow up life gets crazy} but I always wonder what those friends are doing now.

I know there is lots of drama about the pressure that blogging {& Pinterest} makes for moms, more specifically being the 'perfect mom.'  But I really think blogging helps me to be a better mama.  I get tons of ideas of things to create, books to read, and memories to make with my kids.  In fact, I think it helps be stive to be a better person overall.  Support more local {small} businesses, makes me more aware of life events, encourages me to spend more quality time with my loved ones, reminds me to give/be more involved with my community, etc.

Anyways, there is my rambling on blogging.  I love it.  I'm so happy I started it.  If you're thinking about starting one, I would encourage you to do it.  They're super easy and you won't regret it.  I do want to take the time to get my blog made into books {some posts, not all}.  I would be heartbroken if I woke up and my whole blog was gone!