Hello, my friends

Isn’t this a beautiful sight? Ben decided last week that he likes keeping the drinking fountain clean since EVERY single person that comes in our house sticks their face down in there.

Oh my, when I saw him cleaning it yet again this morning I thought I heard angels singing.

Just moments ago, Ben clicked onto this blog and complained, “You need to write something, mom.”

An unexpected benefit of blogging has been my boys interest in what I have to say.

Did you catch the enormity of that statement? For a few minutes a day I have their undivided attention as they read my perspective on our lives. Occasionally they complain about facts skipped over and details omitted, but the general response is laughter and, “that was good.” More than anything they love the comments and often jostle each other away from the computer screen to gain a better view.

When I started this blog one year ago today, my intention was simply to create a journal: a record of our days, a central place to collect stories and photos. I invited exactly one reader- my dad- and firmly refused when he asked me to share the link with others.

But as the weeks passed my inhibitions diminished. One day my sister commented that she would read my blog if only it were public.

I pressed the magic button.

A whole new world opened.

As quickly as I shared my blog address I found that many of my friends were veterans of the blogging world. Soon I was reading about their hopes, their fears, their crafts and vacations and day at the park. On the other side of the country I’ve watched my friend’s babies grow and felt our friendships deepen.

My first profound blog experience was Darren and Sarah. Bless them for sharing sweet little Jack’s life and death in their blog. I may have acquired an invitation anyway, but the partaking was so much easier when it didn’t require an email or a phone call. Little Jack’s short life influenced countless people simply because it was public.

I share a back fence with my neighbor Ashli, but we didn’t start sharing our hearts until we read each other’s blogs. We dropped all pretensions and became best friends. Ha! And I gained a baby Grace out of that relationship.

As the months went by I linked blogs with several acquaintances and reunited with high school and college pals. It’s amazing the closeness I feel to friends when I read a bit about their life every week.

And then the new friends poured in. I am going to make a terrible confession: on my thirtieth birthday I had the thought, “I really have enough friends right now. If I make too many more I won’t be able to keep up with them all.”

Can you believe I thought that for even a moment???!! Looking back on the last decade I see that most of the profound friendships of my life were made since that day.

Blogging has brought me new friends; people that I was MEANT to know; women whom I wouldn’t have found any other way. Every person who has commented on this blog(and many who have not) has enriched my life and changed my perspective just a wee bit.

I agree that there are good reasons for going private. Nearly every week I am tempted to go in and change the settings. For me it isn’t fear of a stalker(wouldn’t they pick on someone famous?) but simply that I can’t believe I am telling all my silly stuff to everyone who may stumble upon this page.

But I stay public because I know more friendships, more stories, more crazy wild experiences will come to me through each of you. So please forgive me my faults and foibles, my silly ramblings and grumpy days and endless photofests. Ignore me when I’m crazy but embrace me when I’m down. I need you, my friends. Thanks for reading.