Splendid Mayhem: Why Do I Blog?

Welcome To Holland

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Why Do I Blog?

1) It's a HUGE stress reliever!!! I can sit on my computer and ramble on about life, it helps to get what I'm thinking out.
2) Many of you with blogs of your own are major inspirations! The first blogs I ever looked at were Andrea M's and Chrystie's. I started my blog shortly after, thinking I too, would become a great & popular blogger. A month later, I had 1 post and no comments! I then found Andrea H's blog & decided I was going to be a more creative & consistent blogger. About a month ago, I found Suzanne's blog and was amazed! Her family blog is too cool. I also found a great website on her blog, Tips For Bloggers that has really helped to get my creative juices going! And, of course- the rest of my bloggy friends are wonderful inspirations to! I keep posting, in hopes to keep you visiting!
3) I print my blog pages to keep as a journal for my babies. While, I do have baby books for them- I don't update them like I should. So, it's for memory sake too.
4) Not a reason- however, I want to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to my blog stalkers. I realize you are in no way forced to come read my latest ramblings or braggings about my boys. I have meet some wonderful people through blogging. What a neat way of communication! Hugs! Love you all!

4 comments:

ChrystieFebruary 11, 2008 at 8:52 PM
Just so you know, I am TOTALLY your blog stalker! I check in almost daily to see if you've updated. I just don't get a chance to comment as often as I pop in.

AND, even though I didn't have a blog at the time, when Ellie was born, we communicated to everyone via our website and email. We got so many "Congratulations!" and "We're praying for you and sweet baby Ellie!" emails and cyber well wishes, that I printed them all off, and they will (hopefully) be heart-warming and special to Ellie when she's older and understands how very loved she was from the moment she was born. I think it's such a cool way to fill the pages of a baby book!
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Andrea "The H family"February 11, 2008 at 10:59 PM
I've come to love your blog girl!
Your one of the only consistent bloggers I know!!
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* ~ *Jessica* ~ *February 12, 2008 at 10:22 AM
Oh, yay! I know, I feel like I should comment on both of your blogs more often than I do. I check them lots- just so you know :)
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KieraFebruary 12, 2008 at 9:44 PM
I love reading your blog :) I check it out all of the time!
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