Why I’m Blogging Again

There’s a lot going on. Life is full and challenging and moving quickly. It’s filled with highs, lows and lots of opportunities for learning and wonder and growth. I want to make the most of it. And I don’t want miss out on remembering it.

That, in a nutshell, is why I’ve started blogging again.

In 2009, when I found myself suddenly widowed at the age of 26, I was overwhelmed by an outpouring of support, with people calling and texting and making visits to see how I was doing. I started a blog one week after my late husband, Jarronn, died to let people know how I was doing day-to-day. That blog, called One Day at a Time, became a source of healing for me as it allowed me to process my thoughts and get them out of my swirling head.

In writing, I was surprised and moved by how many people connected with my experiences, whether it was in processing their own losses or appreciating life more or in trying to be more honest about the parts of life that are messy and difficult.

As my grieving process progressed and my life changed, I posted less and less on One Day at a Time. And eventually, in 2014, I stopped altogether. Just like back in 2009, I was in the midst of a lot of transition, all at once, but this time for so many joyful reasons. I was remarried to Jordan, had moved from D.C. to NYC, dedicated myself to starting a church with Jordan in Harlem, purchased an apartment, and got pregnant.

Through all of it, I often struggled to make sense of “my place” in all of these life changes. Transition–even for very good reasons–is still transition, and hence, challenging. I found myself missing writing as a way of processing life. I found myself wanting to have a space where I could create. But my previous blog didn’t seem like the right place to do that, and I struggled to really imagine what a different blog might look like.

And then about six months ago, having really settled into motherhood and our apartment and our church and my city, I started writing again. And taking more photos. And making a conscious decision that “my place” in all that’s happening in life isn’t to master myself and get everything figured out, but to instead live out my story and capture the reality of it all along the way. And if I’m honest, it’s a story I still can’t get over – widowed in my 20’s, remarried to a man widowed in his 20s, living and raising the cutest little boy in the most dynamic city on earth, building a church community of ridiculously fascinating and talented people, and traveling to new places whenever possible.

Thanks for reading along, and feel free to message me to share your thoughts, to collaborate, or to just be friends! You can also sign up for my newsletter or subscribe to new posts via your favorite blog reader (like Feedly, etc). And if you get a chance, I’d love to hear what you’d find interesting to read.