Commenting Challenge: Day 2

I am linking up again today with Jenna's Journey for the Commenting Challenge. Today's topic is about why and how I started blogging.

I first started blogging in August 2007, when our oldest son was 8 months old. I had a few family members who blogged about their families and would have updates on what their little ones were doing, so I thought "why not?" I was a little hesitant at first, blogging about my family and posting pictures of my children, but my experience with blogging has been pretty positive.

I have wanted to give up blogging several times, along with Facebook, just because it takes too much of my time, but it seemed like everytime I was about to throw in the towel with both networks, my aunt from Indiana, my parents or really good friends would tell me they enjoyed reading my blog and seeing updates on the boys. So of course, I couldn't let them down. After having my third son, I went sabbatical with blogging for about 6 or 7 months. I never found the time or energy to sit down and type away. After our family trip last year to Florida, I really felt the itch to get back into it and have been pretty consistant with it since.

I really have never used this blog to connect with other bloggers, as a political platform or any kind of podium for that matter, to put receipes on (however, I do go to other peoples blogs for delicious food ideas and for that, all of my boys bellies thank each and every one of you.), or to give parenting, marriage or any kind of other advice. This is just your typical, "Keeping up with the Jones" blog (Our last name isn't Jones, but if it was, it would have been perfect for that sentence.).

I use this blog to keep a record of my boys and the seasons we are in. I have tried to sit down and write out things in cute little journaling books, but every time I start writing, I would get serious writers cramp. I found myself writing less and less about what my boys were doing, because I found it to be very time consuming. Sitting down and typing away and loading pictures digitally seemed to be much faster. The second reason as to why I blog is to keep my parents and sister, who both live in the Dallas area, posted on what's going on and so they can see pictures of their grandsons and nephews. I also do it for my extended family who all live in Indiana and any other family members who may read our blog. As for Jeff's family, we are blessed and fortunate to live about 5 minutes from his parents and both his sisters and their families so they get to see the boys more often than what my family does, but I know my mother in law loves to see pictures of 3 out of 11 (soon to be) grandchildren too.

Even though blogging about my boys is my main purpose, I sometimes will blog about things I feel like God has been putting on my heart and when I get free time, I will post about it. I have posted about being a worrier, why we chose to go with public school, rather than homeschool this next year, and random things, like living with three, crazy, but normal, boys. That's the great things about blogging! I can talk about being worried as a young mother and to have friends read my post and encourage me, give me scriptures they have stood on and prayed over their family. Blogging can also be a way to encourage other mother's that what your child is doing is completely normal.

I have really enjoyed blogging and I really enjoy looking back on our different seasons to see where God has brought us from, seeing how much the boys have changed and to explain why the heck I am so exhausted!

Until tomorrow...