I find blogging therapeutic. I started before getting married in 2014. It was an outlet for me to express my thoughts about the frustrations of planning a wedding. I kept my site private for some time. The plan was to keep it that way. Then a few family members and friends found out about it and subscribed. At first I thought, wait, does this mean I can’t be as transparent with my writing as I had been before? Now people will be reading my innermost thoughts and discovering my personal feelings and emotions. I struggled with that for less than a minute. Of course, I can continue being transparent. I’m a very social person but find it difficult to express myself the way I do in my blog when I am face to face with someone. This would continue to be a great way for people who know me, to really get to know me on a much deeper level. What a gift. What I find therapeutic could bring understanding and inspiration to those around me all while bringing us closer. Win/win!

When I became pregnant with my first child, I was so excited. I began blogging about the whole experience. Then at 21 weeks along, we lost her. Devastated and shattered, blogging allowed me to scream out my feelings, cry those tears, and move forward. Friends and family who didn’t know what to say, or perhaps didn’t know what happened (they just knew I lost her); now were able to read about it in detail. Come to find out, more people than I thought had experienced loss during pregnancy. I found out that my outlook and courage to pick up the pieces and move on, was inspirational to them and helped some find closure. How incredible is that?

I continued to blog about a vacation David and I went on after losing our daughter, Faith. I posted tons of photos of the smiles we both had on that beautiful trip to the sunny beaches of Cartagena, Colombia. Walking on the beach, I found a pink seashell. Under the sunset of a beautiful sky, I held that pink seashell (which I still have) and knew, it was Faith showing me a sign to be happy. David and I discussed trying for another baby once we got home. Just as quick as the first pregnancy, we were pregnant on our first try.

And so it continued. Now my daughter is approaching one and I blog more than ever. Who knew a private hobby would turn into what it is today. I love to write about being a mother, the different phases of my daughters life and mine, travel destinations, places to dine, hobbies, new products, workout challenges, etc.

I blog in hopes of making people laugh, smile, cry, allow themselves to feel, or find out about something new. I blog for my daughter to one day read all about mommy. So much of who I am, what I feel, and experience will be on this site for her (and future children) to read. I blog to declare my goals and hold myself accountable. I blog for family and friends to see my true self. It allows me to feel vulnerable, confident, and excited about life. Seriously, it does all of those things for me. Being an open book isn’t for everyone–but it is for me.