One Day I Decided to Start a Blog
Almost three weeks ago on a Sunday this little blog of mine quietly turned eight years old. There was no fanfare, no celebration, no party. The only person who even remembered was me.
Yes, I remember August 2, 2007 well. That was the day I found out the baby I was carrying was a boy. It was also the same day that I sat down at the computer and decided to start a blog.
It was a rather impulsive decision, but I thought that having a blog sounded like something fun to do. It seemed like it would be a good way to keep track of my sewing projects and what was happening with my family.
As I was setting up my blog I was asked to type in the name I wanted my blog to be called. Every name I thought of was already taken. Finally, I typed in two words and I remember being so excited that they worked.
Blessings Overflowing
Little did I know how much those two words would mean to me through the years, or what would happen as a result of that impulsive decision to start a blog.
Eight years.
On August 2, 2007 I had only three children and they were just 8, 4, and 2.
Fishing in August 2007
James and Joshua in July 2007
Julia had just turned 8 in July 2007, just a few days before I started this blog.
Today I have five children who are 16, 12, 10, 7, and 4.
Our Great Lakes Trip in June 2015
First Day of School August 11, 2015
Can someone slow down time, please?
What started out as a private blog has become more than I ever imagined. People reading what I have to say? Making up recipes and sharing them with the world? Creating sewing and craft tutorials? No, I never envisioned that this blog would be what it is today.
Why I’m Still Blogging
There have been times through the years when I thought about shutting this blog down. Sometimes I have taken unexplained blogging breaks. I often break all of the blogging “rules”. Yet, for some reason I keep going.
I guess it is because the benefits of blogging have outweighed any negatives over these eight years.
1. Blogging Keeps My Creative Juices Flowing
I love to sew, crochet, craft, cook, can & freeze our garden produce, read, write, teach, share, do activities with my kids, and so much more. Obviously, I have more hobbies and interests than a busy mom of five should.
Blogging has given me an outlet for all of those hobbies and interests that I wouldn’t have otherwise had as a stay-at-home mom. It has allowed me to share my hobbies with others which has kept my creative juices flowing.
Eight years ago I never could have imagined creating a tutorial or writing a recipe. I had no idea back then how to design a website, but because of that impulsive decision eight years ago I now have my own design business.
Blogging has proven the old saying to be true. You never know what you can do until you try.
2. Blogging Has Been a Sanity-Saver
I have been a stay-at-home/work-at-home mom for the past 13 years. I live out in the country. My husband worked an hour from home for most of those years.
That’s probably enough said right there. 
While I have absolutely enjoyed being home with my children, and I am especially thankful to be at home when my kids need me (like this week when we have been dealing with a stomach bug), being at home all of the time without adult interaction can sometimes be tough.
This blog has given me a place to get my thoughts out, to get to know people I never would have had the opportunity to know, and it has allowed me to feel connected to the real world even when I’ve been surrounded by little ones all day and that is apparently good for my sanity.
3. Blogging Has Allowed Me to Be a Positive Voice in a Negative World
I made a pact a few years ago, on a day after I had seen so much negativity come through my personal Facebook feed, that I would try to only post positive things on my blog and on social media.
Sometimes this has caused me to keep silent when I really wanted to express my opinion, but my desire to stay positive helps keep any negativity I might want to type from getting shared.
Turning on the news, scrolling through Facebook, and talking to people in real life makes me sad sometimes. There is so much pain, sadness, and negativity out there.
I want to be a light, to look on the bright side, to share things that might lift someone’s spirits, and I hope this blog is a reflection of that desire.
Thank You
I want to thank each and every one of you who has read what I have had to say over the years, who have left a comment, or have shared one of my posts.
Thank you for sticking with me even when you don’t know whether I will post a recipe, a craft tutorial, a garden update, or a post about my faith. Without you I would have felt like I was just talking to myself for eight years.
While I haven’t achieved fame and fortune by having this little blog of mine, those aren’t the reasons why I started this blog and they aren’t why I keep blogging.
Who knows what the next 8 years will bring, but for now I’m just going to keep posting and see what happens.
Thanks for joining me on this blogging adventure.
