Mumma's Journal

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It was the best of years, it was the worst of years...

It was 2009, the year I started blogging.

Well, today marks a year since I first began to blog regularly. I had opened a blog in June of 2008 so I could comment at other places where I used to read and have a profile. There was one sketchy post later in the year and then nothing.

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My first commenter was Rev Blackwood, an Australian Presbyterian minister who had seen my comment on a Psalm singing post else where. Then, in December/ January Bethany from Grace in Bloom responded to one of my comments and encouraged me to start posting occasionally. (Bethany now blogs at Covered by His Hand) On 5 January I began by writing about my parents. I figured I could only write about stuff I knew about and where better to begin. And the rest, as they say, is history.......

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Bethany was my lone faithful commenter for a while and then a couple of ladies began to comment back from my comments (as you do in bloggy land, it's cyber conversation). Then in March I got involved with a blog party hosted by 5 minutes for Mom. Now, I won't be doing that again. It was VERY time consuming! But I read and started following a number of great blogs and a few of the visitors I received have been commenting here ever since. Thank you ladies!

My first official follower was La Donna from Just Our Thoughts. A busy Canadian Mum whose blog I still enjoy to read. Thanks for that vote of confidence, La Donna. I try not to take a lot of notice of statistics and followers etc but I admit to encouraging a couple of friends to join my followers :-) I have had a number of people follow and then remove their support. Not sure what that means but I don't read too much into it. I see today that I have 24 public followers, I have posted 299 times, recorded 990 profile views and 4.830 visits to Mumma's Place.

I think it was around the end of March that I came across the Aussie Homeschool Site and joined the Aussie Homeschool Bloggers. This opened up a whole smorgasbord of interesting, inspiring, encouraging blogs and many new internet friendships. I am very blessed to live in an area where there are heaps of in-the-flesh homeschooling families to meet for activities and "socialization". That is irreplaceable. But this little community is very special and I really have loved being a part of this circle of bloggers. Big hug and thankds to the Aussie Homeschool Bloggers♥♥

My other favourite blogs are mostly like minded Christians and friends I have made through participation on the Puritan Board and other Reformed sites. I also enjoy a couple of sites/ blogs of folk who post biblical and theological quotes and articles. I sometimes link to Tony Reinke at Miscellanies, and enjoy Andrew Myers great quotes at Virginia is for Huguenots. I have been blessed and thrilled to join the wonderful girls at "keeping house" as an author. And on and on and on.

Hey, if you read here and haven't left a comment please do so. If you comment here and I have been slack and haven't added you to the links in the side bar, let me know and I will.

My favourite posts to write have definitely been My Golden Childhood ones! I wrote them while also writing some material for a real life Family Book. They made me appreciate a happy, stable Aussie childhood in the 60s. I still hope to write about my later childhood years one day.

My post which received the most traffic and comments? My mother's 80th birthday which had a photograph that readers tried to guess which sister was me!! And I think the surprising second was my first recipe ! Salmon Casserole! So much for all my deep ponerings, eh?

I have been thrilled to be the recipient of a number of Awards and even a couple of prizes. All sweet bonuses to this entertaining and enlightening little pass time!

I certainly plan to continue blogging, and frankly, I don't want to miss reading any of the great blogs I visit. But, as we all acknowledge, it is time consuming. So again, I am considering my schedule and trying to be moderate in all things. Perhaps I will post a little less, read God's Word a little more, be of more edification to others.

To conclude, I shall link to that first post in '09 "Aging Parents". My dear parents have aged a lot in that one year. They are very precious and dear to me. I still think relationships are what makes life go round and I have shared a lot about my own relationships as well as building lots of new ones this year.

Turns out there wasn't too much in the worst category t0 document any way. Thankyou Lord.

Happy blogging for 2010!