Eight Years
I love blogging.
I love the community I’ve made and continue to make online.
I love the real life friends I’ve met around the world because of this blog.
I love pressing “publish” on a post.
I love being able to go back and edit the post I just published.
I love reading comments.
I love interacting with people.
I love being able to write a post wherever I am (literally and figuratively).
I love having a place that chronicles my life.
I love that I’ve stuck to something I enjoy for almost a decade.
Eight years ago today I started this blog. I’m pretty sure the word “blogging” wasn’t even on my radar back then. I openly admitted in that first post that I was treating it as my “personal diary.” Oh my, how things have changed. Here I am, eight years later, sitting at my home in Italy, expecting my first child any day/week now, and I’m still writing at the same place, only now I see this as an online—very public—journal of my life.
The early posts are the inner-thoughts of a 21-year-old college girl who was trying to figure herself out. (In other words: it was about boys and my feelings). But then it emerged into something different, and I’m sure it’ll change several more times the longer I keep writing.
A few years ago I was eager to “find my voice.” I was desperate to have a large number of followers and wanted my blog to be bigger than what it was. But while I was trying to grow my blog, I drifted further away from finding my own flair; I was just conforming to other writers and their voice. Since then, I’ve realized that my writing style isn’t something that can be found. My “voice,” just like my life, will continue to develop, change, and grow over time, and I love that. I like being able to look back and see how things have changed. I love seeing how much I’ve changed.
About four years ago, a friend told me that I should enjoy blogging while I can, because once I have a baby I won’t have time to write anymore. Her matter-of-fact statement has stuck with me all these years, because I knew (even then) that she’s entirely wrong. I’m not in denial about how much my life is about to change, but I’ve made blogging and writing a priority for the better part of eight years. Sure, I take breaks when I get in a rut, get too busy, or get burnt out, but at this point, writing here is my norm. I like telling stories and sharing different aspects of my life. I may not be able to post every day or even every week in the future, but this blog—this little nook on the web—is part of who I am.
Eight years ago today I started this blog. I was 21 years old, single, and had a crush on too many boys. Today I’m 29, married, and about to be a mom. Who knows what the next eight years will bring, but I’m very excited to share it with you!
Happy 8 years, what a wonderful accomplishment! 🙂
Congratulations on your 8 year blogging anniversary!
So cool!!
Great post! Happy 8 years!
Also, I think blogging will become even more important to you as you enter into Mommyhood. Babies are too cute not to blog about and being a Mom is so challenging yet wonderful at the same time that i am sure you will find blogging a nice outlet. Does that make sense? Anyways, I'm glad you kept with it! Your blog is one of my favorites!
Wow. Eight years?! Crazy!
I hate hate HATE it when people say you won't have time to do something once you have a baby. Well, maybe the first 3 months of motherhood you won't have time for it since you'd rather be sleeping, but after that? If you love it, you will make time for it. Happy 'blogaversery'!
Your blog has been an important part of my life for the past 8 years! I know that we email each other often and talk on the phone often too, but I LOVE keeping up with your life through your blog. I can't wait to read about the next chapter of your life!
Congrats on 8 years!! I'm sure you'll still blog after little miss is born. Might not be as much at first, but I have 2 kiddos and I still blog!
Congrats on EIGHT YEARS! Wow, that is amazing! 🙂
Blogging is definitely…harder..when you have a baby, but it's not impossible! They take naps! 😉
Happy blogaversary! Eight years is amazing!!
Happy blogiversary!! A baby didn't stop ME from blogging. I'm pretty sure I blog MORE now.
Happy blogoversary!
Happy Blogiversary! 8 years is so impressive- so glad you enjoy it so much! I haven't even been blogging for 8 MONTHS yet, so I'm totally impressed. 🙂 PS I LOVE that your mom's name for commenting is "Your Mom"- that cracked me up when I saw that.
So awesome! So amazing to look back and see how you have evolved and grown as a person as well. Have you ever printed a blog book, or plan to? Just curious as to what you plan to do with it all <3 So happy for you, can't wait to read about YOUR journey into mommyhood.
Great post! I feel the same way about my tiny slice of the blogosphere.
I stumbled across your blog almost 3 years ago when I thought I would be marrying an airman as well. Things didn't work out for me in that department, but I kept reading your blog because I really loved how honest you were and it was nice to find someone my age talking about their life so candidly. Keep up the amazing work! I've been following all your posts about being pregnant as my husband and I are not contemplating starting our own little family very soon. God Bless! 🙂