September Simple Pleasures #10

#10. Blogging
I like to write. Writing seems to run in my family. One of my sisters has published a book. Another is working on getting hers published but also has an awesome blog. Actually both of my sisters do. Another sister used to write awesome stories and would read them to her younger siblings. She isn't trying to get a book published, but I've decided that she should write children's books. She would be amazing. At least one of my brothers is a good writer too. He would always help me with my DBQs (data based questions) in my AP classes. I suck at writing essays. My Grandma wrote some excellent poetry as well.

Like I said, I like to write. But I've never been good at writing stories. I loved thinking up the plot and developing characters, but then I would run out of steam and toss the story aside. Somewhere in the pile of boxes we have stored upstairs at my parent's house is a box full of stories I've started and never finished.

I am also really bad at keeping a journal. I go through phases of doing really well, and then I just stop.

So blogging has become my outlet where I can write.

One day, about 3 years ago, a friend of mine suggested I start a blog. I honestly thought blogs were cheesy and made fun of a friend of mine a few years earlier. "Why would you want to do an online journal for all to see?" But I decided to do it so I could share what was going on in my life with friends and family that don't live nearby. I wasn't really into facebook at the time. I started a blog, but didn't update it much. Then after my miscarriage I completely neglected it for over a year! I even thought about deleting it!

Then something happened.

Maybe it's my sister, she's really encouraged me to keep up on my blog. And she tells me that she LIKES to read it. I struggle with comparing myself to others, especially my writing. I didn't feel like I had anything important to say. But Rachel told me just to be myself. To write about what I wanted to write about. It doesn't matter if it's an important issue or not. As long as it's important to me.

So now, as I go throughout my day, if something interesting happens, or I take a cute picture of the kids I think "Hey, this would make a great blog post!!"

Maybe my blog is an online journal, I mentioned earlier that I'm not good at keeping a journal, so that's not such a bad thing. I really do love my blog. Writing about the silly things my kids do, and reflecting on past experiences is really fun!

So I have to thank my sister for encouraging me to keep on keeping on with the blog. :)