On Blogging

I’ve only been doing this mom thing for a little over three months, but one of my awesome readers nominated me for something pretty great: the Top 25 Military Mom Bloggers hosted by Circle of Moms. (If you’re fans on Facebook or following me on Twitter, this is old news, but keep reading…there’s new news below!) I know how many mom bloggers there are and how many fit that military genre, so I’m a very humbled to be in the ranks with them.

I’ll be honest, blogging with a squirmy, needs-my-attention-almost-every-waking-moment, please-don’t-ever-put-me-down infant is much harder than I ever imagined, but this blog is part of who I am. Sharing things and writing is also part of who I am, so I’m making every effort I can to keep it in my life.

I’m also trying hard to not fall into a particular niche. I often wish I could just write about one thing and claim my stake in the blogging world that way, but there’s so much I want to say, and boxing myself up like that would likely suffocate me—so to speak, of course. So instead of pigeonholing myself, I write about anything and everything…or at least that’s my intent. I know that’s a broad and generic answer, but I want there to be a little something for everyone when they visit. I know many of you don’t care about mom stuff, so I sprinkle in travel pieces. And I know a lot of you have no affiliation to the military, so I throw in random tidbits about our life or recipes here and there. I don’t categorize myself as just one thing, so the same is true for this little space.

A lot of bloggers out there say to forget the readers and just write for yourself. I used to agree. I used to make sure everything I posted was for myself. But if I’m honest here, that was in my early days when this read more like a diary (seriously, those early posts are scary!). Now, I like writing for everyone else, including myself. I write for my grandma who reads this at the library (hi Grandma!), and my mom who checks her phone for new posts when she gets up in the morning. I write for my great Aunt Gail in New York, my Aunt Holly in Albuquerque, my mother-in-law, my cousins, my family, and friends—new and old—across the world. But most importantly, I write for my us: for my husband who doesn’t always get to share in our day-to-day lives, and for my daughter; I want her to know her story—our story—through my eyes and wotds. I write because I know people are reading.

I know how many blogs there are out there, so I really truly am humbled that you read this and take the time to comment. On that note, I’m doing my best to get back to blogging basics. I’m trying to leave comments on your blogs and I’m attempting to reply to comments left on here; interaction is important to me, and it’s how we grow as a community of bloggers. I’m also seeking out new blogs and stretching my network just a little bit. I know how easy it is to read a new post and go right on to the next one, but I’ve been intentionally reminding myself how much work that person put into creating their post by showing my appreciation.

Wow, this post went in an entirely different direction than I originally planned. Basically, it was going to be a short snippet begging asking for your votes*, but instead I find myself saying, “thank you.” Thank you for reading, thank you for sharing your stories, and thank you for taking the time to let me know you’re out there. Even if I you’re not commenting, I peek at my numbers every once in a blue moon and I know you’re reading, and that’s enough for me to keep going. 

Like I mentioned a the beginning, this new lifestyle is hard to get accustomed to, but you guys keep me coming back for more on here. I really enjoy writing and sharing things with you and I have plenty more to share in the near future. So again, thank you!