Saturday, January 01, 2011

Happy New Year

About a month ago Ramona asked me what I would be if I couldn't be a teacher. I told her I would be a coach or a youth leader at a church or a camp counselor. She told me that all of those things were the same as teaching and that I needed to choose some thing different. So, I told her that my back up to teaching would be writing. She ask what I would write. Unsure, I told her that I'd write it all. "Young Grown-Up books," she inquired, having seem Sumner looking in the Young Adult section at the library. "Sure," I told her. And picture books and essays and novels and other stuff--like a blog.

In the month since Ramona asked me that, we had a baby. Zola Lily was born on November 30, 2010. Her first month has been wonderful. So why re-start blogging now? Shouldn't I just log into Facebook every once in awhile? Or open a Twitter account? Or just call a friend so that catching up with me isn't so one-sided?

Why is blogging appealing again?
Is it because I saw "Julie and Julia" on Netflix?
Is it because Marroni called us "everyone's favorite family" on Facebook and I owe the world some news?
Is it because Zola's birth has out me in a reflective state of mind?
Is it more time on maternity leave?
Is it that I am focused on the family and need to process it all?

I can't really tell you everything anymore. Sumner's a nearly 12-year-old middle schooler and Ramona is a nearly 9-year-old with a reputation. So I can't reveal all their dirty little secrets. Zola doesn't do or say much yet. Phil's pretty private. So that leaves my mom to pick on...and me. And blogs seem so self-indulgent.

But I feel like putting my toe back in. I'm testing the water.