building a name
Once a year we take our “crazy pictures”. They fill the stairwell in our house. We’ve done it for 5 years now, though I think 3 of the 5 years have yet to make it to frames. The goal is to add 4-5 each year until I run of out space. I’ve wanted to hang them all a bit differently and now that we are remodeling the stairs, it was a perfect time to take them all down. These are usually some of my favorite pictures each year. They just reflect us. To keep them consistent year after year, I always turn them black and white. This year I played with RadLab and like the affect. Though, I will probably keep them just b&w when I hang them. We take these in front of a white wall, automatic mode, wide angle lens, window on one side and flash bouncing off the ceiling.
These make me smile. They remind me what is important in life. There is a lot of drama that happens online. I’ve been able to avoid most of it, but I read about it all the time. Ideas being copied, nasty comments, plagiarism, people just out to cause hurt, the race to be the ‘first’, site rankings, giveaways, and just a lot of very strong opinions being shared without consideration to the reality that real people write blogs. There is also another side to the online community…a beautiful, inspiring, giving side. That side of it is what keeps me blogging.
My blog has evolved for sure. I have sponsors now. My crafting supplies have grown tremendously from great companies sending me products. I have a facebook page for a blog. I’ve had opportunities placed before me that would not have happened without this blog. I’ve met absolutely incredible women online. I’ve been encouraged and cheered on by readers in good times and difficult times. I cherish this gift of blogging.
However, I have no desire to build a name for myself. I don’t need to be known as a great crafter or diy-er. I don’t need my projects to be pinned 1,000 times on Pinterest. Recently I stepped down from my contributor role at Design Aglow because there was just too much on my plate. If I wanted to build a name for myself in the photography world, that decision would make no sense. But I don’t want to build a name for myself in the photog industry. I don’t have a desire to build a name for myself in the blogging world either. If I woke up tomorrow and felt God leading me to walk away from this blog – I would. Without hesitation. (don’t worry, that is not the case)
The one place I do want to build a name for myself, so to speak, is inside the walls of my home….among the 5 people I share it with. I’ve got 4 little ones calling me “Mommy”…that is a name I want to work on building. If anyone thinks I am awesome…I want it to be my family. I’ll take their construction paper flowers with jedi lightsabers over any online ranking. I want to rank high with them. I’ve only got a handful of years to do this role right. I don’t get a second chance. When they graduate, I won’t be given an option for a ‘do-over’. This go-around is all I got. When the day closes…and computers are shutting down…they are the ones wrapping little arms around my neck and giving me ‘one more’ kiss goodnight.
“Mommy”…it is a name worth building.
