Friday, April 19, 2013

A Thousand Things To Say

When I began this blog in August of 2009, I had no idea that I would still be blogging over 3.5 years later.  I was terrified even to let anyone know that I was writing a blog for fear that they might actually read something that I had written!

And yet, here we are...

...this is the 1,000th post I have published!  I'm more than a little shocked.

To mark the occasion, I took a look this week at the stats attached to my blog.  Apparently I have averaged approx. 23 posts per month, or 5.3 posts/week since August of 2009; I was a little surprised that the numbers were this high, to be honest, because on a few occasions I've taken a break for 1-2 weeks.

I have received from you, dear readers, or issued myself, a total of 4,060 comments, which may seem high at first blush; but to be honest, this is the one stat that I wish were higher - I do sometimes long for a little more feedback, and I do wish that there were more conversation happening back and forth, and that I heard from you more often (or at all).  But I'm most grateful for the comments I have received, and I thank you!

The blog typically gets between 300 and 500 hits/day, though I'm a little perplexed to see that this number has been steadily increasing in recent months; over the past few months, the blog has been getting between 550 and 700 hits/day during weekdays and the usual number on weekends.  I'm not sure what this increase is about, 'cause I don't think my writing's somehow magically gotten better!  But whatever...it's interesting and I was surprised.

Here are some of the more popular posts of the past two years, in no particular order:

Learning: Older Adopted Children (Part 6)  (note: all of the older-child learning posts generated huge readership from all over the world; this post references all previous posts on the subject)
Thanks...For Adopting Me?
He Loves Me...He Loves Me Not (these three posts were very popular)
The Arms of Love (oddly, this post was a big hit re: readership)
Why We H/School (3 parts) (another surprisingly popular series)
What are Your Biggest Fears About Adoption?
Seriously? Child Welfare?
Out With the Old. In With the New.
Recipe: Sausage Minestrone
The Three Magic Words
I Know I'm Bad. Just Slap Me Across the Face Already.
Stay At Home Mom
Week 3
Headed for Adama - Part 1
Bureaucracy in its Finest Hour
Tick Tock
We Did Not Pass Court.

I'm curious to know if you have had a favourite post!

Someone asked me not that long ago what my favourite posts were to write.  I couldn't think of an answer.  To be perfectly honest, I often don't remember the posts I write - it's a little embarrassing but true.  It's happened many times that someone will mention something that I wrote in my blog and I have no idea precisely what they might be talking about.  I just hope that my posts are relatively consistent from one to the next, 'cause it would be even more embarrassing if I'm writing one thing on one day and completely contradicting myself a week later!

When I think of posts that were impactful for me to write, the ones that oddly come to mind were a series of posts that I wrote near the beginning of my blogging life.  I wrote about the "101 Things You Never Knew You Wanted to Know about Me," and I think I enjoyed writing these ones because it was an early experience of being vulnerable about myself in writing...I had a very hard time with that early on.  Though I don't, now, see the posts as being particularly great or even particularly vulnerable, they were then (to me).  Here's the series in case you wanted to check them out:


I'm very surprised that I'm still blogging, and that I still love it as much as I do.  I don't have a great track record at sticking with projects...I tend to start them with a great deal of enthusiasm and then fade away as my interest flags!  :)

But blogging has (mostly) proven to be a great outlet for me.  The one exception, of course, is the reader who felt it necessary a couple of months ago to contact the provincial welfare association about me, based on my blog; that recollection still makes me burn and I almost gave in to my first inclination, which was to stop writing here.  But I'm glad to have resisted that first impulse because my blog has otherwise been cathartic and challenging, and a way to connect with people on various subjects that we have in common.  Given that I'll probably never write the book I'd love to write, this forum will remain my outlet.

So...

...thanks for sticking with me for as long as you have.  I love being here and hope that you (mostly) do, too.  I also hope you're along for the ride over the next thousand posts 'cause I plan to be here!

Blessings, and with thanks,

Ruth


6 comments:

  1. Congratulations, Ruth! That is quite a milestone indeed. I am not surprised that your blog is increasing in popularity. It is one of those rare blogs with a bit of something for everyone. I read it first for the adoption content because it was fascinating to me. Then, I was hooked because you share your family's story and it continues to unfold in so many wonderful ways. Now, I read it because it's continuously different, evolving, and has great heart. I look forward to reading your blog more than you could imagine. I'll certainly understand when the day comes that you want to throw in the towel, but I hope I get the chance to read many more posts first. Thanks for delighting, challenging, and teaching me with your writing!

    Sorry that my comments have dropped off completely. As soon as life calms a bit, I'll try to give back a bit in this blogger/reader relationship we have. ;) Okay, relationship is really too strong of a word, but phrasing it that way made me giggle.

    Take Care!

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  2. Hi, Ruth!
    Congratulations on your 1000th post!
    I was actually planning on "delurking" tonight anyway and commenting on how much I have enjoyed your recent posts on parenting and Gordon Neufeld, but now I have extra incentive! I don't think I can take credit for all of the extra hits your blog has been receiving lately, but definitely for some of them - I began reading a few months ago, not long after I came home from Ethiopia with my newly-adopted three year old son, and I have really enjoyed your stories and perspectives. Your recent posts have inspired me to look into taking some Gordon Neufeld courses (probably online) and I was wondering where best to begin - I think the transplanted children course and the making sense of preschoolers course are both going to be very relevant to my situation, but I wasn't sure if I should start there or if it made more sense to start with the first "power to parent" course to get an overview of the whole approach. Do you have any thoughts on that, by any chance?
    I hope you continue to enjoy writing your blog for many years to come! Thanks for all the stories and thoughts you share.
    Sonja

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  3. A favourite? Just one?? Can I say that they are almost all my favourites? I must admit that I check pretty consistently a couple times a day for a new post. You got me hooked with your early descriptions of Seth, telling of antics and emotions from those first few days after taking custody in Ethiopia. I felt like you were describing MY son.
    Throuh so many of your posts I have found hope and/or encouragement. Sometimes, adopting an "older" child can feel lonely. By reading what you write I am reminded that others are also going through those challenges AND those amazing joys.
    I just re-read your "what's in a name" post. Isn't it funny how we feel so strongly about names, no matter whhat our viewpoint? When I started on this journey expecting to welcome an Ethiopian infant, I knew "for sure" that I would give him/her a special first name of my choosing and keep their Ethiopian name as a middle name and then a second middle name would be a "family name". Well, my dream child turned out to be 6 and Ontario-born, and boy did my perspective change. He did end up with 3 given names one of which is a very special family name that he now treasures, but I could not fathom altering his first name in ny way given how hard he had worked to claim it as his and learn to print it. I do very frequently use his first and second names together, but that is not how he is introduced. With child number 2, it would have been very convenient to change his name (he has the masculine, and more common, form of my sister's name and they both used the same short version) and was more or less in the age range that I "could" change it, I just couldn't do it. Strangely (maybe) I could just not bear explaining to Cody that I was changing his nnew little brother's name. It would have horrified him! So my solution to family confusion with his name? I insist that he be called by the full version of his name (althouh I have figured out that some people insist on shortening it, at which point I offer an alternate short form).
    And yes Ruth, even your non-adoption or child posts are a hit too. My favourite non-child/adoption post - BRA SHOPPING!
    So, from someone who has laughed and cried with you, THANK YOU, and keep on writing!
    Ellen

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  4. Ha ha, Ellen you made me laugh - I'd almost forgotten about the bra shopping horror that filled a post not that long ago. I can't believe I actually wrote about that! I always love your comments and kinds words and your perspective on things, Ellen - thanks!

    Charity, I know why you're not commenting much and you will hear no complaints from me...I hope you're doing all right! And yeah, I think ours can count as a relationship...after all, we've emailed now, too! BLessings!!

    Sonjainmotion, thank you for de-lurking (never heard that term before!). Lovely, lovely to hear from you and thank you for reading my blog. I'm so glad you've been inspired to look further into Gordon Neufeld's work - my hunch is that, as you take a course, you'll find so many things that just make sense...and where our society has it skewed. If you know a Neufeld consultant in your area, you may want to ask her ('cause they're usually female!) which to start with. I've heard the Preschooler course is excellent, so you may want to start with that one and then Power to Parent. I thought the Transplanting one was very good, but it would be helpful (IMHO) to take few others first to get a flavour for his work; then you'll see how beautifully it dovetails with the Transplanted Children course. Just my two cents, though! Let me know how it goes! Oh, and I chuckled when I read about your adding hits to my blog numbers - thanks for the laugh!

    OK, so thank you all. Your thoughts and comments are much valued!

    Blessings,

    Ruth

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  5. Hi Ruth - Congratulations on your 1000th post. Isn't it amazing how a bunch of small steps add up. The blog's a great resource for other parents, a nice way to keep up with you and your family and a great record of your days together. Way to go! And I'm glad you like comments since I sometimes worry about blabbing here too frequently! Good luck with the next 1000...

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