My Blog is One!

One year ago today, I wrote my first post here at The New Mommy Files. My first daughter, Annabelle, had just turned three months old and time was racing so quickly that I felt the need to start taking a more careful record of it.

254 posts later, not only have I recorded Annabelle's major milestones and my own new mom moments, but I have found a network of inspiring and supportive mothers. I really can't imagine what the last fifteen months would have looked like were it not for the advice, encouragement, and wisdom of both my local and my virtual community. It's hard to find the words without sounding cheesy, but I'm incredibly thankful to each of you for keeping me company on this journey and for sharing of yourselves along the way.

In the beginning, there were Anna and Miri, and I seriously don't know if I would have continued blogging were it not for those two lovely mothers. I would post something before bed most nights, and could generally count on waking up to their thoughtful input, encouragement, and advice if I needed it. During this time, the daddy was deployed and I had not yet found my niche as a mama here on Guam, so it was just me and Annabelle almost all the time. Having a sense of connection with moms thousands of miles away is truly what kept me going.

As time went on, I met many other mothers through carnivals, the Natural Parents Network, and such, and while I have not met any of these women in person, I truly think of many of them as friends. They have been a constant source of inspiration and wisdom that has shaped who I am and how I parent. Eventually, I found a local community made up of women who have had a similar profound effect on me, and for them I will always be grateful - probably more grateful than they could ever know. 

I set out to record memories, milestones, and missteps, and I got much more than I bargained for. I have started a list of links and words of appreciation directed at individuals several times, but I worry that I can't find the right words, and the list will either leave out some people who have meant a great deal to me or take me all week to write. So, I have decided against it. Instead, I simply want to say a heartfelt thank you to every person who has visited me in this space, whether you have quietly read here and there without my knowing it, or have read regularly and shared your own wisdom, encouragement, or advice. It has meant so much to me, and I truly would not be the same were it not for all I have learned from you. 

I'm looking forward to another year of blogging: sharing my thoughts along this journey, and learning from each of you. Thank you for journeying with me! 

As a teeny, tiny token of my gratitude, I have something to give away. I wanted to mark this bloggy milestone with something special, so I settled on the idea of giving something away, but then came the question of what. I thought for weeks and weeks until I finally decided on the perfect thing. In the spirit of celebrating those who have inspired me, I'd like to introduce you all to Judy Feeney. Judy is the single most inspiring Montessorian I have ever met and I am grateful beyond measure that our paths crossed. She has absolutely no idea I'm doing this, so hopefully she doesn't mind, but a few years ago now, Judy recorded a cd for children called The Ants Dance. It includes many of the songs she sings with the children at her school, a school I had the great honor of being a part of for three years. Sharing Miss Judy's songs with Annabelle has been a great pleasure, not only because they hold a special place in my heart, but because she loves them, too. They have made for very pleasant car rides in the past several months!

I would love to send one of you a copy of Judy's cd. If you're interested, just let me know in a comment. Two weeks from now, I'll use random.org to select a winner and I'll contact you to get your mailing address. Because the purpose of this giveaway is to thank those who have supported me in this first year of mothering and of blogging, those who were already following via google friend connect, facebook, twitter, or email, will get two entries each. I know who most of you are, but not all, so just let me know how you've been following along if you're not a regular commenter. New followers are always welcome, but the extra entry doesn't apply.