I’ve always been horrible at keeping a journal. I have about 20 different journals in a tub in my garage but none of them are finished. I love to write but writing has never been my forte, if that makes sense. I would start a new journal in hopes that the new cover or the new design and layout would spark some long forgotten ability to write and keep it going, all to no success. That was until a dear friend of mine started keeping a blog.
Her and her husband lived in the same apartment complex as us back in California. We were in the same ward, went through pregnancy mishaps together but then schooling and jobs sent them to live in Texas. With Jared in law school there was no way we could afford to visit and were subject to keep in touch through email. That was until she started keeping a blog and I could check in on her whenever I had time. I loved being able to be a fly on her wall and I learned so much about what life can throw at you as a young mother and wife and through her amazing example I discovered new and different ways to approach and face it. It wasn’t until we moved to the other side of the country that I decided it was the perfect opportunity to start a blog of my own so that family and friends back on the west coast could see how we were doing. It also saved on the phone bills 🙂 .
For seven years I’ve managed to keep a pretty faithful account of my life and the life of my family on a regular basis on this blog. It is, in its own right, a small sort of miracle that I’ve been able to keep a journal for this long especially since past experience has shown it to be pretty impossible. I love that I’m able to read back and remember the kids through both story and picture. I have referred back to past posts on more than one occasion to see if I had similar situations with the kids as they each grow up. There are stories and little tid-bits of not only our family’s life but of those closest to us and who have made an impact, for good and bad. It is a medium that has worked for me and consequently it’s not going to change.
In an effort to print off my blog I’ve noticed how much easier it would have been if I had several smaller blogs instead of one massive one. So, I’m opening up a new blog for the year 2013! It’s the same address just with 2013 attached to the end (jaredjohnsonfam2013.wordpress.com). This blog will still remain right where it is but I won’t be adding any more to it, instead I’ll be refocusing my efforts on the new blog and recording all our adventures from this new year!
If you’ve enjoyed following our little family and our crazy lives feel more than free to come over and continue to follow us! It’s been an amazing journey being a young wife, mother of four, and trying to make every experience our family has the best that I can offer them. Happy 2013!!!
jaredjohnsonfam.wordpress.com 