Beginnings

I've loved writing since I learned how. Truly, I do. But I struggle with finishing anything.

When I was in first grade, my parents abandoned me and my brother with my grandparents and went to San Francisco for four days. The souvenir they brought back for me was a diary. This diary, to be exact. They got it in China town.

See those rings on the side? My dad attached them so I could lock my diary. 

At the time, I didn't know how to write well enough to do so on my own. I dictated my journal entries to my parents and they patiently copied them down for me. By the time I reached second grade, my fine motor skills were decent enough that I could write my own journal entries. I've been doing it ever since.

I have stacks of journals and notebooks that chronicle my childhood years, teen drama, college years, faith journey and parenthood. I've kept a journal for my cousin, my children, and with my husband. Journaling is the only kind of writing I can do decently.

As a kid, I had tons of ideas for stories. I probably have at least 40 excellent first pages and a slew of creative characters. Unfortunately none of them are connected. I can never finish anything. I'm not good at developing the story past a mere idea. I don't know how to make characters that are dynamic. Getting started is no problem. But finishing? Not so much.

That's why journaling is a good fit for me. I write until I'm done and that's all there is to it. There are no page requirements. I don't have to finish the story. I can write about whatever I want.

About two years ago, I started a blog. I wrote a lot about God and my faith journey because that was the most important thing to me. Then I started writing about other things going on in my life. Then I started writing about homeschooling.

I realized that writing is good for me. I want to keep a blog as a creative outlet and a place to mull things over and vent my feelings. But I can't fit myself into the box of just writing about homeschooling or just writing about my faith. I have to be free to write about whatever it is that I need to write about. Writing helps me process things and sharing my writing brings clarity and the insight of others into the equation.

So that's what I am going to do.

Some days, I might write about what I'm doing with my kids. Other days, it might be about cake or my iron levels or TV shows or books or stupid stupid allergies. Hopefully my writing will be interesting to you. Maybe even beneficial in some way. I'd love it if I could make you laugh or think about something in a different light.

Honestly, I'm just trying to make my way in this world and doing the best I can as I go along. Writing about the journey should be fun. I guess we will see where I end up.