Why I Blog...

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From time to time I spend some time going back over old posts.  It is fun to read the stuff I wrote a year or two or three ago and remember what was going on back then.  I also notice that the purpose of this blog has shifted a bit over the last three years.  I have always entertained this romantic notion of being an author one day--writing a fabulous romantic novel that makes people long to be one of the characters.  Unlikely, as I can't remember the last time I wrote a fictional story.  But I recently realized that through this blog I have become a writer.  A real live writer!

When I first started this blog we had just decided to move to Alaska.  In fact, I had been toying with the idea of blogging for awhile and had nearly started one titled 'YacoltMama'.  Things moved quickly that summer though, and before I knew it I was applying for a leave of absence, packing up a house, and moving my family 2500 miles away.  In the midst of all of this I started blogging to share our adventure as we embarked on this journey to a new life in Whittier.

As we settled in here, I became a more regular poster.  I worked out the kinks in my formatting, learned how to manipulate templates a bit more, and tried lots of different things.  For awhile I posted recipes that I was trying every week.  I kept the focus on our life here, our kids, and our adventures.  Then I axed the recipes in favor of the {this moment} posts and somewhere in there I began to realize that although I rarely post about myself this blog really chronicles my journey as a parent.  We are always evolving and changing--and my outlook on parenting as evolved with me.  I blog because I want to remember these moments.  I try to live very intentionally--I try to choose my reactions to those moments in motherhood where you can smile or scream--I try to live my days calmly, focusing on the positive and with patience.  It doesn't always work out the way I envision it--my kids bicker, make horrific messes, get on my nerves, and drive me completely batty some days.  But I try.

I believe this blog is about all of us--it tells the story of how we spend our days, the highlights of our lives.  But if you read between the lines it also tells the story of me.  How I try to stay on top of things but don't always succeed.  How I try to balance being a mama, a wife, a friend, and me.  How I spend those precious moments with my kids, and how I spend those moments by myself.  How much I love my life, my family, my friends, and our Alaskan experience. 

So thank you friends!  Thanks for being a part of my journey.  I appreciate the fact that you pop by here occasionally to read what I write.  I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy posting it!