It's in the Details

I began my first blog (and this only makes my 2nd -- I'm a blogging baby) in order to document my growing family's life. It's full of pictures and is shared only with friends and family. It's really a family album with narrative. When I began this little venture, I was clear that I wanted to expand my audience and that would mean figuring out what degree of privacy I would provide my kid-lets. Do I post pics of their sweet faces? Just pics that are more anonymous? No personal pics at all? I've even debated whether to use their real names or rely on nicknames as I see many other mama bloggers doing . . . It's surprising what a dilemma this poses. 

My other blogging dilemma is my desire to share it with friends but knowing if I do so, I open the door of this blog to all friends and family. Why, you ask, would I keep it a big bad secret? It's not like I'm writing shocking revelations (not yet, at least:). Allow me to digress a bit -- when working with teens, they often rail against their family because they have a particular conception about who they are and are reluctant to give it up. Their kids change, grow up, take up new interests and friendships and their family is simply slow to catch on. In the last several years, I've certainly "grown up" and my ideas and thoughts on things would be unrecognizable to some (though perhaps not as many as I imagine). I would like this blog to be safe, somewhat anonymous place to talk about whatever the heck comes to mind without the automatic censure that comes when I know my audience is my family, meaning extended family, religious community, etc. Some day, I hope to bravely present all the different and changing parts of myself and my life to my family but I need some practice first . . . 

A part of me has to giggle at the probable conclusions some of you may be coming to -- oh, she's going to confess to some sort of alternative lifestyle, strange practices or the like. I don't mean to sound so dramatic and interesting! I guess this is as good a time as any to give a little historical data by way of explanation. My family, for several generations, has belonged to a fairly traditional Christian denomination with various behavioral codes and expectations. Not only that, but when I began my first career as a high school teacher, I was the 4th generation to teach in our denominational schools . . . with all that entails. Then I up and pursued a dream of mine since childhood and attended a public educational institution for the first time and pursued a MA in Counseling Psychology, quit teaching in the church school and explored new ways of thinking and doing things. It's been a 6 year journey, some of which my family is aware of and some of which even I am still exploring. 

Tell you what, finding just the right way to end a blog entry is challenging! I feel compelled to pose a question or tie things up neatly. I'm going to fight that urge and say, more to come.