A long time is an understatement

So, it's been a long time. Almost two years.

Does anyone ever blog anymore? I've missed blogging.

A while ago, after it had already been several months since I'd written a post, I was thinking about why I blogged. For followers? For recognition? For fun?

I started this blog after our move to Florida in 2008, primarily as a way to document our lives for friends and family we weren't living near anymore. It became a writing outlet for me, as well as a virtual timeline of what was going on in our lives.

I did pretty well for a while and then, well, then life happened, life that kept me from blogging, life that felt complicated and uncertain and uncomfortable. I probably should have been writing during that time, but instead we were figuring things out and praying about what was ahead and it was easy to not have to write about those things.

And then, as decisions were made and we moved to a new state, life was busy again and we were back to starting over...and I visited this space about once a month for that first year here in Kansas, and then let it go again until now.

Why do I blog?

As I read through my past posts, I cringe at some things, I recognize growth in some areas, and I'm comforted by seeing that some things have stayed the same. But, many, many things have changed. For me, I've realized I blog for all of what I mentioned above, to be able to look back and read about things I've forgotten, to recall things that I hope I never forget. I blog because I want to see this progression and remember it and share it with my girls when they are older. I'm happy to share it with others (which is why, I suppose, this blog is public), but I recognize that that can't be my primary goal - if I'm going to do this, I'm okay that it may just be for me.

I'm not sure where I will begin.

Maybe here:

I'm so thankful for this family of mine.