the mommyhood memos is one!

Yesterday was my one-year blogaversary for the Memos. One year since I hit “publish” on my very first post.

What a year it’s been!

When I started I knew nothing about blogging. I had never even read a blog before. (Actually, I had… I just didn’t know it was a blog at the time. As far as I knew I had only read a few “websites” here and there.)

I just wanted a place where I could write about motherhood to help me process the massive transition taking place in my life (my first son was three months old when I began). And I also wanted to get into the discipline of writing – an art form that I love, which brings me refreshment and joy. And—although there’s more—that’s the gist of why I started the Memos.

I knew I was going to need an outlet for me.

What I didn’t know was that I was about to stumble into a whole new world.

And that’s what I did: stumble.

I stumbled into blogging the same way I stumbled into motherhood: with some haphazardness mixed with my good intentions to be deliberate, some grace and poise mixed in with my blunders and mistakes, and with far more questions and ideas than answers and actual know-how.

I knew nothing of this strange new language including terms such as RSS feeders, SEO, widgets, IRL, badges, comment love, SITS, analytics, memes, and forums. Heck, I didn’t even give my blog name more than a few minutes thought and a quick google search to be sure it wasn't already in use. (Something I’ve regretted at times, but oh well – too late now!)

And now here I am nearly a year later. I’m a whole lot wiser as a mom (though I still have my more-than-occasional blunders) and I’m a little bit wiser as a blogger (though I still have so much to learn).

So yes, here I am: 294 posts, 2815 comments, 900(ish) subscribers and followers, countless hours spent writing and designing and learning… and—most importantly—so many genuine new friendships later.

I’m so thankful for the Memos and the opportunity to do what I love. I’m so humbled that there are people “out there” that enjoy reading some of what I write. I’m incredibly grateful for the friends I now email back and forth with (and some that I skype with!) and hope to meet in person one day.

My head is always, and I mean always, buzzing with ideas to write about and things I want to achieve. The day I get writers block and have exhausted my list of post ideas will feel very foreign to me.

So for now I’m just going to keep writing, keep learning, keep growing, and keep connecting into this wonderful community I’ve grown to love. This is a "hobby" I don't plan on abandoning any time soon.

Oh, and to celebrate my "birthday" I wanted to give you presents! I have two blogaversary giveaways: The first one is a wonderful book called The Pregnancy Companion: A faith-filled guide for the journey into motherhood. Win it for yourself or to give to an expecting friend. And the second giveaway is for two Peekabooby! nursing covers. 

Dear friends, thank you so much for journeying with me through this last year. Some of you I’ve known since the beginning and some I’ve only just met. But it’s thanks to you that I feel encouraged to keep going.

in celebration of a great year,

Bloggers for Birth Kits update (day seven): 

- 677 kits donated
- 39 blog posts spreading the word
- Over 200 links shared on facebook (I lost count after that!)
- Tons of tweets (#B4BirthKits)

I'm blown away by your response. Again, thank you for donating, for promoting, and for helping to save the lives of mums and bubs in Papua New Guinea. If you haven't yet, it’s not too late to get involved. 

Are you an expecting mama? Link up with the Bloggin' Babes and Babies of 2011 here.

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2011
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