Happy Three Year Blog-iversary

Today marks my third blogging anniversary.

I warily started right after the kids turned one.  A salve for my guilt about not keeping a baby book in the frenzy of our first year of triplets.  Then it turned into a journal.  And then it turned into something else entirely.

During this time, my kids have turned two, three, and now four. I celebrated my fifth, sixth, and seventh wedding anniversaries.  I changed jobs in a big way.  I wrote a book.   This little blog morphed from The Vincent Triplets on blogspot to a full-fledged website in my name (crazy!).  And I learned ever more how God’s imagination and plan for our lives, if we allow Him to move, is beyond anything we could ask or imagine.

So after celebrating my top five posts of the First Year and the Second Year, here are my favorite posts from the third year:

1.  The Cheerleader and The Misfit – I loved writing this post.  I was struggling with how to teach my little one never to become a “mean girl,” and I remembered my own profound encounter with a gracious and kind popular girl during my painful high school years.  I hope that will always resonate – we are always on the inside of something.   (A good reminder as I head off to Allume to meet a bunch of bloggers which would otherwise make me nervous!)

2.  Little Steps, Big Dreams, New Job – So much of this year has been about dreaming.  The first half of the year I served proudly on Holley Gerth’s God-sized Dream Team and will now get to be a contributor to a God-sized Dream website debuting soon.  A year recap wouldn’t be complete without looking at one of those posts.  I also wrote about some BIG decisions I had to make as part of my dream (also the week of my blog confetti party- this new site kick off).  That season was so necessary so God could lead me to this place.

3.  Infertility Anguish – Many of you have read Our Story and know the dark valley we walked through before we were blessed with triplets.  I had stopped talking about it for a while and felt drawn to discuss it again because I was encountering so many women going through that heartache.  Writing this brought our own struggle rushing back, and know I am here to pray with you if you are confronted with infertility issues.

4.  Can’t Live Without – I love my husband.  We had a tougher year with ups and downs, but our relationship is stronger now because we survived the struggles.  This reminded me that even though I’m a hopeless romantic married to a pragmatist, the realities that he delivers in our marriage every single week are better than moonlit walks on a beach.

5.  My Little Girl –  I wrote two posts about my angst over little bit’s first ballet and tap recital.  The recital outfit shocked me.  This initial post drew numerous comments on Facebook and the blog about the issue many of us with daughters are facing.  The post that came after the actual recital was Why I’m Not A Dance Company Mom.  By way of follow-up, little bit’s new school offers weekly ballet and tap during school hours with a uncostumed recital at the end.  I’m delighted to keep her dancing, which she loves more than just about anything, without all the pageantry and sexualization I criticized last year.

I can’t wrap up without mentioning that in January I debuted Fashion Fridays.  These fashion posts generate a big audience, and it’s such a fun outlet for me.  Remarkably, the highest ranking post of the year was my Casual Fridays post from one of those Fashion Fridays.  I also wrote a series on Leadership leading up to the launch of my book – what a wonderful experience that has been!  And of course, my babies turned four.  Every year I write them a love letter.  This year was no different.  I am so crazy about those amazing children and my husband who helps raise them.

Thank you so much for being a part of this community.  As small thank you in return, I’m giving away a copy of my book, Learning to Lead, today.  Either subscribe (that little spot right over there on the right), or share any post via Facebook or Twitter and a winner will be selected at the end of the day.  It’s such a pleasure to walk with you through this crazy life.