The Evolution of a Blog

My 100^th post! Feels like something to celebrate. (Strawberry Shortcake should do the trick!) I believe some reflection is in order as well.

 My first post held hope of preserving our family’s memories and was an attempt to somehow shorten the mileage between us and our relatives. I wanted Carlos’ mom and my mom to participate in the daily activities of their grandchildren as much as the distance between us would allow.

In these first posts I told stories of Matthew learning to ride a bicycle sans training wheels, Natalya’s first bites of rice cereal, and anything else that would portray what my life looked life as a mother of two young children. I created a digital scrapbook of sorts, accessible to relatives and friends with a few quick keystrokes.

As I grow and evolve as a mother and keeper of memories, this blog evolves as well. The kids are growing up at unflinching speed. Matthew, almost five years old, begins kindergarten in September. Natalya is surpassing the baby milestones with each passing day. I cannot help myself from feeling like everything is happening too quickly. Feeling like I must slow life down or at least push the pause button several times a day and relish in the moment.

 I photograph the parts in our day that cause me to pause momentarily, grateful for the small moments that add up to a lifetime. This is my meager attempt to be present with all I have now, all I am now, and all I love now. I post them to remember the small moments, the beautifully mundane. These are the stories that I want to share.

Yes, the big accomplishments and big occasions are important. You only start walking once, there is only one first day of preschool, and birthdays only happen once a year. These turning points do not go unnoticed. However, they don’t reflect the love and joy we experience daily as a family. The littlest things make my heart skip a beat. They best illustrate how lucky I am. They are my story.