Thankful for Blogging

Today I am thankful for blogging.

My reasons for blogging have changed over the years, but my love of blogging is constant.  Blogging, for me, has become the most amazing journal of my life, my thoughts, our struggles, our successes, and a photo album full of story-telling pictures.

I began blogging as a fun way for family and friends to keep up with our daily life when we lived four hours away.  It wasn't long until I shared our infertility story and realized just how many readers I actually had!  These readers became my support group.  They would "listen" to me ramble about daily nuances and support me when I was reflective on my longing to become a mother.  Soon, my readers became a special part of my life because they knew things about me that I never would have verbalized.  They were reading a "window to my soul," as one sweet friend called it last week.  Since we began our adoption journey, blogging has become even more than a support group and sharing of our life.  My blog has become a place where our prayer warriors can check in to see exactly what our prayer needs are, where the process is, what our struggles are, and watch as pictures of prayer warriors grace the pages time after time.  This blog has become a letter to Baby J and precious reminders of our journey.  This blog is my outlet.  It is my little area of internet space to say what I like, how I like, and feel safe doing so.  This is my own little corner of the world wide web to share what I know to be true.  To show others how God has worked, and continues to work, in my life.  This is my little space to share God's story for us as we pursue this adoption.  This is my little page where I can encourage others going through similar trials, excitement, and waiting.  Bottom line...this is my space to speak.

One of my favorite parts about blogging (and any blogger will probably agree) is the precious comments our readers leave.  As much as we'd like to be content with writing for ourselves, there is just something so nice about knowing others are reading.  We have opened our blog up to anyone.  My blog is not just for family and friends.  This blog is not even only for prayer warriors.  My blog is open to anyone who enjoys reading it.

I've made one little change to my comment section.  When you comment, you may notice that your comment will be moderated before it is published.  This simply means that I will have to click the "okay" button before it's published on the blog.  This is helpful for several reasons: I will make sure to see every sweet comment (I don't want to miss a single word from the precious readers) and I will be able to keep my blog purposeful.  There are SO many things that are welcome here.  Your fun anecdotes and life stories after a fun family blog post are always welcome.  Your encouraging words and prayers and praises are always welcome.  Your confirmations are always welcome.  These comments let me know that I'm not alone.  They let me know that I'm still doing okay.  That being said, I want to let you know that your disagreements are also welcome here.  We don't all have to agree to love each other and enjoy blogs.  Disagreements and discussion help us understand each other.  Healthy debate is good for the order, I think.  "Anonymous" comments are welcome!  I know that many of my sweet family and friends don't have Google accounts and can't link up.  That's okay.  Comment anonymously and sign your name! 

Now, given my purpose for blogging and the tone of my blog, I do have one little thing that is not welcome here.  Lengthy "anonymous" debates filled with sarcasm, character attacks, snide comments, and undercutting remarks (especially when it comes to our choices in our adoption journey) will absolutely not be welcomed here.  The points of debate are welcome...not the other "stuff."  If, for some unknown reason, you feel like you just must tell me everything you think in those unflattering terms...I have my email address on the sidebar for you to use.  I would very much like to be able to get back in touch with you after such a monologue.  I would like a chance to not only debate my viewpoint, but also to let you know exactly what your words meant to me.  I would like to, hopefully, get a better understanding of your intent because I like to hope that your intent wasn't to be sarcastic, snide, and undercutting.  I like to hope that your intentions were pure, but your word choice was poor.  So, if those comments are left anonymously, especially, they will not be welcomed here and will not be published.

I am so thankful for this little space that I have been able to use for the last three years.  I am so thankful to meet new friends, encourage others, learn from others, and love others through this venue.  I am so thankful that my blog, unlike Facebook, is a site that one must choose to read.  I am thankful that those who enjoy our blog can choose to read it and join our journey.  I am also thankful that those who don't like this blog can choose not to read it.  I am thankful for how supportive you have all been on my openness throughout our struggles and high points.  I am thankful to have this "journal" printed out as a life story that I'm sure our kids and grandkids will LOVE, laugh over, and talk about all the time.  I love that when I forget something, I can look it back up on the blog to find the answer.  I am SO incredibly thankful for blogging!

And, I am thankful for my readers!  You keep me going.  If you are a blogger, take a minute to thank your readers for their support, comments, and for joining you in your life journey. Thank YOU!