Why the Blog?

So, doing a blog has been one of those things on my "to do" list for awhile now. You know, the "to do" list you are almost certain you will accomplish in your optimistic state upon first waking in the morning. The "to do" list that has not even reached one percent completion by mid-afternoon, because you forgot about the other five hundred more important have-to-do's that seem to fill your day. The "to do" list that is taken over by the thought, "What did I do?" by bedtime when you fall asleep exhausted. Well, today is the day I hit the computer and see what develops from this page hidden in Internet obscurity. What brought me to the realization that this might somehow be important? Well, three things actually:

1. My dear friend Elise, and incredible niece Sara, are months into their blogging. Both have told me I should start one. They are two wonderful mothers, busy raising young(babies and toddlers) children. If they can find the time, I should have no excuse. Plus, I hope that by showing you I can do this, maybe some of you will start a blog of your own.


2. I feel our family needs to do a better job keeping the people we love updated on our life. The friends and family we live miles away from, who always ask why we don't write or call more. I figure if we have a central location for updates and pictures, everyone will feel more connected. Though I can't promise this blog will be exciting, at least you will be able to picture my children at their actual age.


3. The first two reasons have always been there, ever since the idea of blogging seemed to be something I would want to do. Something happened this past month that really changed things for me. My sweet friend Katie Bates died of a drug overdose on September 20. She was just 31 and left behind two precious children who she loved dearly. She was beautiful, fun, and full of life. I had not seen her for a few months, but thought of her often. I cried a lot over the hole her passing left in my heart. Her death seems tragic to everyone, because it was preventable. One of the many things I have learned working with teens at the therapeutic boarding school is that addiction has a terrible grasp on those it affects, whether you are 10 or 82. I know Katie put all her strength behind the battle, but in the end addiction won. At the funeral, the speaker noted a conversation Katie had with her mother where Katie stated that she wondered if she was really ever loved. Of course she was. Her funeral, overflowing with people, was testimony to that. Why didn't she know what she meant to everyone? I hope Katie now knows how much she was loved by me and those that surrounded her. I love my dear friends and family, and I hope this blog shows the truth of that in some small way.