Happy Anniversary to Me!

It is totally unbelievable to me but it is true - as of today, I have been blogging for one exact year!

I truly had no idea that it had been a year until I went back to the archives trying to find a recipe for a friend. Then I saw "Feb 2010" What? I was blogging in February? I was stunned! February 8th to be exact.

The reason this is so exciting to me is that I really never believed that I would actually begin one of my life-long dreams. I love to write. I have always enjoyed expressing myself through the written pen. Just the other day, I found my high school notebook full of the poetry that I wrote. Oh, how funny it was! This is the beginning of one of my poems:

Heavenly Father full of grace
Bless my boyfriends foxy face!

Hilarious!! I laughed till my eyes whelped up with tears!

I had this overwhelming urge to blog about four years ago but just couldn't bring myself to take that step. It's too scary. Outside of my comfort zone. Open myself up for criticism? Expose myself and all my failures? How transparent would I be? After all, the dozens of journals I have are completely private. No eyes have ever peered onto their pages.

"But I want to write, Lord. I want to share my heart. I have a small desire to be raw and open." To what degree? I don't know..."

With both eyes closed (or at least it felt that way!), Blogger.com made it's way onto my home page. I went back and re-read a lot of my first blogs. Although I like my variety...recipes, couponing, my kids and spiritual matters, I have exposed myself more than I ever thought I would. I had someone once tell me that it is very hard to read my blogs because they usually cry. I told her, "that's because I cry when I'm writing it."

I'm exciting to see where the Lord will lead me in 2011 in the blogging world. To say that I get giddy every time I sit to write is an understatement! Something strange about a burning passion...it's hard to keep a lid on it!

Thank you, my friends and family members, for your incredible encouragement this past year. Your comments and personal emails have inspired me to press on. Sometimes I even weep with your comments! You have been with me on this journey during the most difficult year my family has ever experienced. If my posts have helped you in some way, then to God be the Glory!

I look forward to another year of sharing my soul and more character pruning from the Lord...where would we be without Him?

Love to you all!