my favorites of me

It's always interesting to me to watch how readers respond to my posts.  Sometimes as soon as I hit publish, I have a feeling in my heart that it will connect with readers and it will be well received - and I'm right and grateful.  Happy that I was able to write honestly about something and there were other people out there that could read it and feel the string tied between us tighten. Maybe bring the world a little cozier because we are all in this together loving and feeling and struggling and living this beautiful, messy thing called life.

And sometimes, I'm surprised by the connection that people have with a piece of writing that I do - maybe because it was super personal and I was really just writing for me but somehow people were able to find a way to connect to them.  Often times it's because the blogging world can feel kind of lonely and sometimes you're just sending words out into a sea of cluttered, polluted, superfluous space where everyone is already overstimulated and who has time to read this little corner of the web anyway.  But then I hear from people in my real life that read it, or I get comments and emails when I wasn't expecting any and its validating and reassuring and it's happy bewilderment.

And there are posts that are my own personal favorites.  Is it self-indulgent to admit that sometimes I dig back through the archives to read some of my former posts to re-center my writing and my voice?  Sometimes I sift back through because I need to see our Greyson at four years old and cry a little bit about time that has passed and phases that are over forever for him.  Sometimes I'll drop in to send a little kiss back to that momma I used to be with only two kids and no school schedule dictating our days and remember how that used to feel hard and be grateful for the peace and lowered standards that comes naturally with even just a little more experience in motherhood and...and well, four kids.

So, maybe it's a little excessive to share my own writing, or maybe I'm just feeling a little nostalgic today with these gray skies and rainy forecast. But in any case, here are some of my own favorites of my own.

on motherhood.

a day in the life of a new mumma (2010)

a letter to the future (2011)

On the day you were born Gemma Rose (2012)

digging deep (2012)

An open letter to my first born child (2013)

Mumma (2014)

the joy you brought with you, Violet (2014)

the end of the bubble era (2015)

our Rustin James (2016)

on love.

a real life love story (2011)

a story for my kids about their dadda (2012)

Happy. (2012)

the electricity between us (2013)

the nap. (2016)

on life.

note to self (2010)

my entire thank YOU thursday series  (I cannot read any of them without my cup overlowing with literal tears from the gratitude for the people in my life)

the ole 5 year plan (2012 - I need to update this now, hah!)

The words that change us (2013)

an open letter to my daughter about her body (2013)

a speck in the vastness (2015)

thank a coach (2016)

and for a laugh

Things I never thought I'd say..and then we got Bullet (2010)

You might be married to a redneck (2012)

Boy Mom:  Paper Hearts (2013)

go home winter, you're drunk (2014)





and to you readers,
thank you for being here.  if it's just for today or if it's because you're a regular reader.  I love writing and keeping track of our family life here.  and I'm so grateful (and truly amazed) that anyone else can come here and make a meaningful connection to what I write.  thank you for spending any amount of time of your day here with me.  xxoxo
gratefully,
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