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A couple of years ago, Kady asked me for my permission to post something I wrote as a guest blog on Mom2MomKC. Flattered, I said, yes. As there was an open blogger spot to fill, I offered up my services, and thus began my time as a featured blogger on this site.
Honestly, my life didn't really change that much. Every once in a while, a friend of mine would text me. "Your blog is in the paper!" So that was exciting. I had something extra to add to my resume, so that was cool. Other than that, life went on pretty much the same.
Except for one difference: I got to share it with the world. Okay, mostly I shared it with Kansas City. But I'm pretty sure someone in London has read this thing at least once!
Hm. I guess that's actually pretty huge. I got to share our family's Christmases with you, our cold winters, our birthdays. I shared the even the most mundane moments, too, and defended myself against my messy house and my parenting choices (which could be good or bad, depending on your perspective).
I got to brag about my amazing son and my fantastic daughter. I shared stories about my own parent and siblings. I even shared my politics and my religion. And you read it, and commented. Without knowing whether anyone would love me or hate me for the things I shared, I still shared.
During that time, I gained a little more confidence. Maybe I became a little more bold in other parts of my life. Maybe I became less afraid of trying new things and less worried about what people would think of me. That can happen when you bare your soul to the world. And in this case, my soul is my family.
Right now, my lovely Charlotte is a three year old in preschool, making bubble paintings and learning to read. My sweet Marc is eleven years old and halfway through fifth grade. He plays the violin, and when he's not doing that, he's playing Minecraft. When he's not doing that, he's reading Goosebumps! When I started this blog, my Lotte was a baby and my Marc was just a tiny boy.
My husband and I were married four years this past August, together seven years. When I started this blog, we may as well have been newlyweds.
Two years doesn't seem like that long of a time, but a lot has changed in my life between then and now. I have new responsibilities both at work and at home. It is because of these changes in my life that it's time to say goodbye to you all. I've really enjoyed using this space to share my life, and I hope you have enjoyed reading about it and could relate any of it to your own lives. That really was my goal.
Thank you for letting me write to you, Moms! There are some amazing writers blogging for you here, and I was honored to have been one of them!
Thank you for sharing your life here in your confident , honest and unapologetic style. I wish nothing but the best for you in the future.Valgal, Thank you so much for sharing your life, your family, and your thoughts with everyone. Even when people don't agree, you never apologize for your perspective and are, in many cases, a voice of reason in a whirlwind of chaos. Best of luck to you, dear friend!Hi Val, A KC Mom living in Dublin, Ireland has read your blog faithfully over the last few years. I have gad a soft spot for your blog and have admired your optimism in the face of difficult circumstances at time. I hope life is good to you - you deserve it.Wow, thank you everyone! Your comments are heartwarming, as well as ego inflating if we're being honest. I'll be posting on my personal blog with some irregularity if you'd like to keep up. Here's the link: http://valengholm.blogspot.com/ And again, thank you all so much for reading my writings!Val, I will miss seeing your weekly musings, but I understand needing to move on. I look forward to reading your personal blog. I have enjoyed getting to know you through your weekly posts...Wow, thank you everyone! Your comments are heartwarming, as well as ego inflating if we're being honest. I'll be posting on my personal blog with some irregularity if you'd like to keep up. Here's the link: http://valengholm.blogspot.com/ And again, thank you all so much for reading my writings!
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