transparency

Here’s the thing about blogs, and social media. I love the highlight reel! I love to see the beautiful places and spaces, and happy moments. And creativity, and successes, and encouragement, and even faith and testimony there.

But with all good things there seems to be an equal and opposite side that can drag you down into feeling not ever enough, behind the curve, not part of the cool kids’ club. The funny thing is that even those we may perceive as having it all together and a beautiful/perfect life feel those same feelings of never being good enough. It can be a destructive cycle that can color and distract from what is real, what does matters, and where we should be looking for our value and direction in life.

I started blogging back in the mid 2000s and even then felt this sort of inadequacy with how basic mine was. People were designing and selling pretty templates and sharing all sorts of amazing things, and I was just trying to write about my little family’s military life to stay connected with friends and family. I stopped blogging around the time I auditioned for my master’s program in violin performance. I had 2 kids, youngest was just 2, and all my time was then devoted to practicing, studying, writing papers, performing, and taking care of my family while my husband worked crazy hours. And I’m glad I stopped, sort of.

I am sad I didn’t keep up with a record of all we were doing especially as we moved to England and loved our time there. And then Texas, and Colorado, and New Mexico. Now in 2022, I would love to go back and see what we were up to and loving with a few pictures. It’s funny how, in the moment, we don’t think what we are living and doing is interesting, but years later, we want to remember those very things that time has sucked away.

My intent in writing this blog now, is not only to do what I started it for in the first place which was to keep memories and a family journal, but also to cheer others on in their own journey of womanhood, motherhood, and building something that really matters. It looks different for all of us, but the desire for love and connection is the same no matter your circumstances or background. Celebrating one another high points helps you appreciate the good in your own life all the more, so I hope that is what you’re here for with me.

You won’t see perfection here. You’ll see life as it is. And life is good, really. Even when it’s not. You’ll probably see lots of typos (I try but they slip through sometimes!), and mistakes as I go along, but my heart is always working to be in the right place and to serve. I will always try to link to things or products that I genuinely use and love, or that have made my life easier, or brought more joy. Sometimes those things might be exactly what you’ve been looking for, and sometimes they won’t be and that’s ok.

Womanhood is filled with so many varied seasons and vistas and valleys, too. Please know that if I don’t write about e v e r y t h i n g like stretch marks or therapy doesn’t mean it’s not there or happening. Life is real for all of us. Thank heavens!

Enough said.

Love,

Dayna