Why I blog

This was supposed to be a part of Talk to me Tuesday over at the Tip Junkie. Except its Thursday, but it seemed a worthy pursuit all the same. I thought it was an awesome question, mostly because it helps to refocus my writing to ask it every once in awhile.

I blog for many different reasons, sometimes all at the same time. I suppose my main goal on this blog is to preserve our family memories. I want the kids to be able to go back in time and see the pictures of what we were doing. More than that, I want them to be able to read my thoughts about them and to know how much I love them, and how much fun we had. I used to scrapbook, and while I loved preserving the images, it lacked the story. I want to memorialize all the little quirks and stages they go through. I anticipate in the future that they will become contributors to the blog, and have blogs of their own. I found a company that will publish blogs into volumes of books, which I think would be nice for our family to have to look back on. Unlike a scrapbook, I have the option to produce more than just one volume.

The blog has allowed us to stay in touch with extended family and Brian when he is away. While the kids are young, it has been nice for relatives to read the blog and know what the kids are talking about when they speak on the phone to them. At this point, they aren't all great about telling a story in a straight line. Especially when Brian is out of town, I try to update the blog frequently so that he feels more connected to what is going on here at home.

Writing is also a creative outlet for me. It is almost a necessity. I write fiction and do writing that would be considered more on the creative side. I also used to journal on paper. But those who know me well understand that I have a problem keeping track of papers. This blog has been a great place to journal thoughts and feelings. Sometimes I just really need to write things out, and I tend to solve problems through writing. At other times my posts are just my thoughts, feelings, or musings on a subject. I had considered moving those over to another blog, but I have this theory that sometimes children only get to see one side of their parents... the more parental side. Its an opportunity for my kids in hindsight to see some of my thoughts and feelings laid out in a way that they might not otherwise.

I have been blogging for about two years now. As of now I have roughly 250 blog posts. As a stay at home mom, I found blogging to be a wonderful instrument for encouragement. Sometimes I get lost in the minutia, or frustration of the every day: the dishes that never end, cooking, cleaning the exact same room 4 times a day and then cleaning it one more time. They are small things. When I get overwhelmed by them, or start to feel as though I am making zero progress in my "job", I look back over these posts. I see children who have grown, who are happy and loved, family and friends we hold dear. I see my own personal growth and how my thoughts and opinions have changed or evolved. It is an affirmation of what we have done. It refocuses my perspective on the "bigger picture".