the blog, year no. 1.
{history} i was busy googling mrs. meyer's delicious cleaning things when i bumped into the blog world last fall. and when i came across it that day, it was as if i realized for the first time that it was a real, manifest thing. i thought, blogs? did they make it past 2004? yep, they sure did. blogland was thriving, and i could have a piece of it. so i grabbed a spot and settled in. i had no clear-cut vision or background experience or chief goal, but i had hopes. i hoped that in the writing of this blog i would glorify God by setting my mind on things that are true and right and pure and excellent, and that i would be able to share some of those things with some of you.
{growth + development} i guess i thought this blog was going to be impersonal.. just the straight facts and short commentaries. the kind of blog that shows things, as opposed to the kind that says things. (for nearly all blogs can fit without much strain into one of these two categories). i didn't have much to show or say, really, but i full steamed ahead anyway. i remember exploring the vast new world and becoming acquainted with social norms of the blogging community. and i remember all of you marvelous people helping me along and encouraging me and commenting. i quickly learned that comments were as good as gold in my new world. i let my blog grow and adapt and expand, and it has developed into something that's quite different from what i thought it would be. and then again, it's not. it's rather like what i was hoping for. it's nice how progress works like that.
{benefits} oh, and i didn't even think about the fact that this blog could be a means of staying in touch with my family and reuniting with old friends and meeting new friends and keeping people up to date on what it's like here in minnesota-land. i didn't think about the fact that i was a newlywed and should chronicle that new stage of life. i ended up showing things and saying things and listing things and baking things and all sorts of things i hadn't dreamed of. none of those crossed my mind when i started out, but they were all in the works. and i am so so happy that they happened.
{side effect} i've grown intensely attached to my little stop on the blog system. it has become like another room in my house. i strive to keep it clean and neat and nice, and i like to rearrange things once in awhile to keep it from looking outdated. and if i know that a bunch of new guests might be stopping by (because of some gracious neighbor linking to me), i get nervous about how it all looks. is everything tucked neatly away and are the lines all simple + straight and the colors just right and do i have something pretty with which to greet them? after all, the face of this blog belongs to me and reflects me. i want everything just so. it's a good thing that i'm the only manager around here because there is mucho micromanaging going on, believe you me. oh but it is all great fun. i like keeping a clean spot and i don't like messes, so working in here is a real joy to me. it's rewarding. along the way i've even learned a smidgen of the photoshop workings and even a whit of html. bonus.
{accomplishment} i am thrilled that so many of the little facets of our life have been stored away in these archives. and to do it without even realizing it! i am a terrible journaler, and really terrible at taking photos of momentous things and making memory books and such. i don't ever accomplish those things. but here i am everyday writing this blog, not ever thinking about the fact that i am indeed recording my life. right here. how painless. even though i'm not necessarily writing a diary entry every time, i can read about what i was making, buying, doing, loving, reading, craving, giving, receiving, thinking about, listening to, or planning for during a certain day, week, month, season of my life. the details. so much better than getting only the big picture.
{the end} so i've been sucked into documenting my life, like so many of you smart people. and for the first time, i like doing it. i think i've found my perfect fit. starting this blog on a whim as i did, i really thought it might fizzle out and fail. i am pleasantly surprised at having kept at it for a year, and am feeling up to many more. i hope this blog lives a long, full life.
go, blog, go.
happy one year anniversary.
1 corinthians 10.31 ..whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
16 comments:
Congrats on one year of blogging. You are so good at celebrating the little things in life! Here's to many more... :)
congratulations! i always look forward to reading your blog. it must be something about the ever-present optimism and importance of simplicity + good things. keep it up.
I just realized after reading your post that my one-year blogging anniversary was yesterday! Happy blogiversary to you too! ; ) It's SO much easier (even effortless) to journal when you're doing it to share, isn't it?
Yeah for one year. I'm glad you started because I enjoy reading your posts. I love your lists.
happy anniversary to a blog that i so look forward to reading. you put all that blogging is into such perfect words. your talent at stringing words together is inspiring to me. hope you'll keep it up for a long long time.
have a lovely day.
i currently have mrs. meyers hand soap in my bathroom!
happy one year. it has been a fabulous one.
thanks for sharing with us!
you have succeeded in honoring God, inspiring and documenting your heart out!
happy anniversary!!
Looking forward to many more posts! Congrats on the first year.
happy anniversary! I just recently found your blog, but it is a complete joy!
Happy anniversary! I love to hear how people take up blogging. It's a wonderful medium, isn't it? By the way, I LOVE Mrs. Meyers products. Mmmm, lemon verbena.
Thanks for the memories!! It's been a great year!!
Happy Blog Birthday! I have really enjoyed your blog this past year and look forward to many, many more entries!
Happy Anniversary! I recently found your blog and it is delightful. I'm a list girl myself so I appreciate the list posts (as well as all the other posts :)
Congrats on your 1 year blogging anniversary!
one of my favorite posts. such a fabulous re-read. you've managed to stay true to what you hoped to accomplish blog-wise. way to go. and happy blog birthday.
congratulations on another blog birthday! i love your blog--the pictures, and your style of writing is so perfectly refreshing! I really enjoy my visits here! Thanks for the inspiration--hope you keep it going for many more years:)