Where my Blog Began

Day 14:  When and why did I start blogging?

How fitting as I am approaching my 3rd blog-anniversary soon!  I started on September 28 and wrote my first post here.  I found myself in a whole new situation--I had taught English for 8 years and through much discussion, my husband and I decided it would be best for me to stay home.   There are many reasons for that happening, the main thing was the lack of time we spent together…I was up at 4:30/5am and out the door by 6:30 and he would get home at 9pm some nights.  While that may be "the way it is" for some people, we decided that financially he could support the two of us and my job, though not earning any income, was better fitted to stay home.  Because it was a personal choice, I have never once felt like a slave or that I made a bad choice. Sure, there are moments when I wish I had to wear some fancy clothes and sometimes I miss the idea of teaching--a classroom full of kids…but I also know it's not all sunshine and roses and that my role as a wife and mother are far more greater to me at this point than any dollar amount earned in a job.  {Well, unless you could the amazing part time gig I have with AdvoCare!}

So because my life drastically changed, I started reflecting on what made me happy; writing has always been therapeutic for me and I just love reading and writing.  I started connecting with other bloggers; young fashionistas, other housewives and just some amazing women overall!  There was an entire community at my fingertips and I just dove right in.  I loved being a part of swaps, sharing recipes, cleaning/recipe ideas…my blog was super cheesy looking back on it!! I talked a lot about clothes and coffee... That of course only lasted a short while, in April of 2012 I became pregnant with our first and my blog certainly has shifted ever since!!

I have met some of the best people through blog-land.  I went to NJ last year and met Nikki and Danielle, who have helped me earn my SAHM income over the last year [$500-$1000 per month!]  I hope to meet more of my own team, like my rockstar mama Rachel out in Cali.  I'm helping her earn extra while staying home with her baby girl; and she's helping other mommas who want to earn enough to spend more time at home. I love how I can be at home, but still connect and build friendships and co-workers. It's awesome to be able to help others.  It definitely fills that "teacher" void of wanting to help people succeed.

I think in some regards the blog-o-sphere has kind of changed…a lot.   Maybe it's because we all keep having kids and less time to write paragraphs upon paragraphs, and with instant social media like Facebook or Instagram, it kind of replaces that intimate connection of the blog.  I still keep up with mine, mostly for me to look back on and for my mom and grandma down in South Carolina.  Sometimes I think about making my blog private and only letting certain people in on our life, but then a bigger part of me thinks maybe, just maybe I'm helping just one person out with something that I say. I know that I find reading other real life blogs helpful, so I feel like I have something that may benefit others.  Who knows… maybe I'm just cray.

I just never would have thought that by starting a silly little blog, it'd lead me where I am today.  I have no clue who I would be, it's really weird to stop and think about all of the relationships that have been built through a blog.

Regardless, thank you for reading---whomever you are!! Whether you're a long time no commenter reader, or someone whom I correspond with on the daily.   Or maybe you're just my mom or mother in law and want to see Brooke pics haha.  {Yeah, yeah, I'll get back to them, don't worry!}

Have a great day!