Three Years: A Blog Purpose Statement

Three years ago today, I sat down in this very same spot to start this thing... Three years ago today, I was 25 years old and living your typical DINK (dual-income-no-kids) life. I had been married for almost two years, just finished my second year of teaching high school, and was spending my summer organizing and decorating my house.  I was obsessed with my dog, I had lofty plans of losing twenty plus pounds, and I had dreams of becoming a mom in the near future.  I started this blog because, as much as I preached the importance of writing to my students, it had been a long time since I'd written anything for fun... for myself...

October 2009

Although outwardly not that much has changed since then (with the exception of a baby, obviously), I feel very different.  I know myself so much better today than I did three years ago; and, as dorky as this sounds, I really do credit this creative outlet and community for much of that.

Christmas 2009

Three years ago today, I could never have guessed that this blog would see me through so many different seasons of "growing up."  On these pages (I guess you can call them that), I have chronicled a cross country road trip, months of trying to sell our house and finally deciding to stay put, the loss of my sweet Granny, a pregnancy, a colicky newborn, a new job, adjusting to being a working mom, several seasons of The Bachelor, and more than a dozen plans to "lose twenty plus pounds." ;) I also could never have guessed how much I would come to love this place and the people who meet me here.  How much I would learn from and value this community.  How much blogging would become a part of my life and my identity.  Heck, three years ago, I would have made fun of someone who said things like "how much blogging would become a part of my life and my identity."

July 2010

Anyway, so here we are today... Ironically, I'm in a bit of a "blogging dry spell" right now.  And so, I thought it was the perfect time to remind myself why I do this and what it is all about.  Here's a little Purpose Statement for E, Myself, and I... It's about time, don't you think?

Christmas 2010

1. This blog is for me.

I started this blog to restore my love for writing and help me to carve out time for writing regularly.  For three years now, it has done that.  It has also served as a place to connect with other women, find encouragement, get advice, and (perhaps most importantly) document my life.  This is the closest thing I have to a journal or a baby book for Sam.  It is one of the most selfish things I do every day, but I consider it selfish in the same way I'd consider exercise or an occassional Girls' Night selfish.  It is good for my soul. 

This blog is NOT for making money, becoming famous, getting a book deal, or making new friends (although all of those things are/would be wonderful bonuses).  Would I still write if no one read?  I don't know.  BUT, I do know that if this blog ever becomes about those things, it won't be read anyway...  It will have lost its purpose.  It won't be worth my time and energy.  It will be over.

June 2011

2. This blog is for real life.

If you are looking for a blog full of crafty DIY projects or photos of a perfectly kept house and six-pack abs, you may as well keep looking...

I'm not quite sure how I fell into this "niche" of being a REAL mom, but I LOVE it.  I love that this is a place where I can admit that I do not have it all together, ask questions, be vulnerable, and not take myself (or life in general) too seriously. 

I NEVER want this to be a place where we fall into the trap of comparison or discontentment; but instead, I want it to be a place full of encouragement, community, and laughter.  I want to be able to admit when I feel the need to throw an impressive birthday party, show you what a disaster my guest room is, and confess that I eat too much fast food and consider breastfeeding exercise.

July 2011

3. This blog is for good.

If you've been reading E, Myself, and I for any time, my hope is that you recognize it as a place that builds up instead of tearing down. 

I'm not afraid of a little self-deprecating humor; but, you won't find me bashing other people, speaking disrespectfully about the people I love, using bad language, or writing about crude topics.  Likewise, although I try not to be a Bible-beater about it, I pray that my faith would be evident in my life and in my writing, and that Jesus would be glorified through this place. 

I am not ashamed of anything I write here, and - while I try to show both the ups and downs of life - I am proud to say that it is an accurate reflection of who I am and what I believe. 

October 2011

So, that's it... My Blog Purpose Statement.  THANK YOU for keeping this thing alive, for following me through so many different seasons, and for seeing my heart on the pages of E, Myself, and I.

April 2012

Here's to another three years!