two years of f & f

I just realized tonight that it turns out I totally forgot to be a good blogger and document the fact that I've been writing and posting pictures over here for two years now! So here it is! The obligatory "I've been blogging for two years" post. Cue the eye rolls (especially because for those of you that have known me longer know that I have been "blogging" for longer than two years). So bear with me as I unload all of my deep thoughts. 

For those of you who are new here, it is true, I have in fact been blogging since 2008 which makes it six years of blogging. Goodness gracious that makes me feel old, like dinosaur level old. I started on tumblr back when there were only a few thousand users and David Karp interacted with those users on a personal level. Not with me, obviously, but suffice to say the circle was small and it was all felt very... kumbaya. Then they introduced the concept of likes and it all got very catty and yucky. Then came the wave of "blogging for money" and everyone couldn't wait to get their paws on a few dollars. It all felt very "LOOK AT ME" and side bar ads began to overtake blogs until, well until, it all became a little too much for everyone. Somewhere during that schism I jumped back in just in time for things to calm down with advertising and for us bloggers to realize that we liked things much better when it was all kumbaya all the time.
And I have to tell you I have really enjoyed the time I've spent over here at Flora and Fauna. You guys are a pretty awesome group to be surrounded with. Every time I sit down and write I imagine your faces (some of you I've connected with on IG so I know what you look like) or I imagine that I'm talking with you. I remember the things you've shared about yourselves, the advice you've given me or the kind things you've said and I feel stupid level lucky to have had the chance to interact with all of you. I pretty much think you're the coolest group of ladies out there. It's kind of nuts to think about the impact y'all have had on my life. There have been so many times that I have felt encouraged, validated, supported or just plain loved by you and for that I am beyond grateful. This blogging thing is inherently somewhat one-sided and totally vain but the fact that I have been able to connect, grow and create lasting relationships thanks to this space is incredible.
I hope that in some way I have been able to give something to you as well. My biggest prayer for this space, daily, is that I use it first and foremost to uplift. And I think uplifting things don't always have to be "sunshine and daisy" types of things, I think uplifting things come in all shapes and sizes and sometimes someone admitting that life is hard, or toddlers can be total monsters or that they get tired and order take out three days in a row too can be uplifting in it's own strange way. Because there's nothing more precious than feeling that we are not alone, that someone understands and that we're a team here. Because we are a team, a team of mothers, writers, lovers, artists, dreamers, achievers, wives, girlfriends, daughters, sisters, friends, and humans. And I think it's so important that we remember that even if today we didn't reach our full potential we can take solace in the fact that we did something to make someone smile, not feel alone or were just there to hold their hand.
So thank you for all the times that you have made me smile, illuminated the loneliness I have felt or held my hand. You have all touched my life and I hope in some way, somehow, I can give back to you a little bit of what you have shared with me.

Here's to year three!!