Blogaversary!

We all have little vanities about ourselves. Stuff that we want to believe, and really don’t want to be disabused of, so we avoid testing the waters too deeply. One of mine is that I’ve always fancied myself a writer, even to the extent that I harbor the fantasy that “had life not gotten in the way,” I would have pursued this dream and been published, long ago. I think I keep that one right next to “I still look good in these jeans.”


One year ago today I posted my first installment on this blog. I was in the midst of chaos, and I’ve found journaling to be a good way of organizing my thoughts and making sense of what is going on around me. I was also terribly lonely, having exiled myself to a place (literally and metaphorically) that I never wanted to be. I decided to put it out there – semi-anonymously – and chronicle my journey back to the life that I needed, and maybe not feel so isolated.

One year ago, I thought it would be a good idea to share the steps I was taking to get back to Colorado, and why. Memory is a funny thing, and I find it educational to look back at what I wrote about something at the time and get the real feelings and not rely on fuzzy, watered down rose colored glass.

I got so much more than that from this little blog. I have been the recipient of so much positive feedback, and so much camaraderie and support, that it truly touches my heart. I have Followers, which blows me away, and I appreciate each and every one of you! I have had readers from all over the world, and I find that amazing and inspiring. I haven’t always responded to my comments, but I enjoy them and look forward to them so much! I have made friends. People who are as real as I am, who also like to reach out beyond their own front porch, and who understand that a little pat on the back or “I know what you mean” is sometimes the thing that helps you get through your day, “virtual” or not. I hope you enjoy your visit when you stop by my blog.

So, progress report? I am here in Colorado, in the Denver Metro Area, exactly where I hoped I would be. My daughter is going to kindergarten in a good school that is close to home. We are living in a cute little rented townhouse, comfortable and safe, and she’s gotten to do a lot of the things I wanted for her – like riding her own bike. I have plenty of places to walk.

We are making friends, and reconnecting to old ones. I am so grateful for the sense of continuity that my old friends give me, and how they have absorbed my daughter right into the fabric of their lives and made us feel welcome.

I still need to find a job. It is a struggle that I hope doesn’t continue much longer. I have a lot of worry about that, but I also remind myself that I will find a way.

I also reflect that really, this is the only thing that is a real problem, and to be able to say that is really great. I am comfortable with myself and feel like I’m in a good place, even though I am not getting everything I want. I am getting what I need. I am looking forward to the year ahead. Thanks for being part of it.