Making Lemonade turns TWO (and other ramblings)

When I sat down and started a blog, I never dreamed what my life would look like two years later.  On the date of my first post, Noodle had a NG tube, a night nurse so she could be tube fed overnight, didn’t speak a word, and was an only child.

At this very moment, she’s eating a waffle and telling me all about Elmo while her one-year-old brother walks around giggling in his basketball pajamas.

What a difference two years makes!

Just like any two year old (or one year old, or three year old… trust me…) this blog has had it’s “moments”.  There are days I’ve wanted to walk away and never blog again because I’ve been so overwhelmed.  Then there are days I’m so full of ideas I get totally frustrated because only 10% of what I want to post actually gets published because I don’t have enough time.  I’ve stayed up until 2AM to write a guest post someone requested that they never published.  Some of my most heartfelt posts have gotten two comments whereas one I wrote in 15 minutes (a very rare occurrence) gets 5 times that response.

But then there’s the positives– the things that keep me going.  The biggest and best of which are the friends I’ve met through blogging!  I never knew blog friends were real (if you haven’t seen that Mama Kat clip, go now).  Where one comment leads to an email which leads to another exchange and before you know it I’m talking about “my blog friend so-and-so” to my saint-like husband who nods and pretends that’s totally normal.  😉

I’ve gotten to experience other states and countries and lifestyles through blogs and the people behind them, and it’s pretty amazing.  While in one sense sitting behind a computer can seem isolating, in another it’s opening doors and friendships I never expected.

If I ever get my dream of moving to Raleigh, I’ll expect Brittany to help me choose a neighborhood.  If I ever visit the world’s longest yard sale, I’m emailing Angela to see what time we can meet.  If Beth had stayed in NYC for Keegan’s cancer treatment, I would have stopped by with some toys and cupcakes.  It’s a small, small world my friends!

You may know I’ve only told a few “in real life friends” about this blog.  Those that know about it have been there every step of the way, and seeing a familiar name pop up in the comments makes me smile every time.  Especially for my friends I don’t get to see often due to distance or {lack of} time, I love being able to connect that way.  And can only hope one day one of them will start their own blog so I can do the same!

I still struggle with finding balance, posting about subjects I want to vs. what I need to, and eeking out free moments to do it all.  Jessica had some great insight recently in this post on her blog Found the Marbles.  She reminded us, in a nutshell, that balance is overrated.  When you have balance, you are in a precarious spot– not doing more, and not doing less.  Those who know me best know I will always strive for more.  Being status quo is okay, but great things were never achieved by being just okay.

Mostly I’m struggling to find my niche in this vast blog world, and focusing this space on a few quality topics instead of being so all over the place.  I’m hoping you’ll help me with that, too.

Like many first birthdays, I had a HUGE month-long hoopla last year with gifts and special events.  This year, I’m quietly turning two and appreciating all this blog has given me.  I just hope, in some small way, I can give it back to you and more!

The past few weeks has given my brain some much needed blank space to think and dream and plan.  I’m rolling out some fun new things here in the next few weeks and months and getting back to doing what I love most– posting about projects and crafts and ideas and so much more.