Blogaversary || Part 2 } Gratitude and Making an Impact

If you missed Part 1 you can read it here.

via

I'm loving all the comments coming in on the giveaway post here. It is so amazing to see how one desire I had a year ago to share my life on this blog to encourage and inspire others has evolved to what it is today. Honestly, I thought about it after I asked my friends to share how my blog had inspired them so far and I was thinking maybe some people may take it the wrong way. I'm not looking for praise or for recognition, just to simply see if my blog I'm making a difference in the lives of others. I can't say it enough... the response I have got is overwhelming. I am so grateful that I can share my life and help others to feel like they are not alone in their struggles and challenges. Some of my greatest testimonies are coming from an abusive relationship with a chronic drug addict and being a teen mom having all 3 of my older kids before I turned 20 years old. Having gone through something like that has taught me compassion for those who are hurting and feel like there is no where to turn. Another is struggling with secondary infertility for 5 years between my 2 sets of kids. I have had 2 miscarriages and witnessed a miracle after almost losing Dakota in a pool drowning accident. Our family had also gone through a life altering ordeal in 2005 - 2007 in which things will never be the same but we are healing every day. Most recent a car crashed into the side of our house. If I had not experienced any of these things, I would not be the person I am today. Only by experiencing these things first hand am I able to have compassion for those who have gone through it before me, because prior I was just as insensitive in my interaction towards them as the next person was to me when I went through it. Now, I have a huge story of hope to share because God allowed me to go through these things I believe to help others. I am now seeing all of it come together more so now. I have several high school classmates who have been following my blog and although we were not close in high school they shared with me during this blogaversary celebration that they wish they knew me back then. They said how much they love hearing about my life and how encouraging it is to them.

All of it is very humbling and I feel completely blessed.  Thank you to all of you who continue to share your thoughts with me about my blog and how it's changed you.

Today I have the spunky Noel from Noel's Beautiful Life and the amazing Melissa from The Life of a not so Ordinary Wife.  Noel never ceases to amaze me.  To me she's spontaneous and I never know what to expect from her which is usually always awesome anyway.  :)  I am inspired by Melissa's shop and how organized and specific her branding is.  Every time I see her pop up in my feeds I'm always encouraged by her.  Here they are. =)

YOUR FIRST BLOGAVERSARY STORY:

Well so honestly, I have been blogging since 2005 and I didn't start celebrating my blogs anniversary until just a few years ago. I started this blog as an outlet to the outside world when I was at home with babies crawling all over my floor. Now those babes are teenagers and tweeners and as time has gone by I have come to love, I mean really love blogging. I could, and do on a regular basis, blog about EVERYTHING!

Well, except for things I wouldn't talk about with my mom... which is just like bedroom stuff between me and My Giant. Ya know, in a pro pro stuff :)

HOW HAS A LITTLE PIECE OF ME INSPIRED OR ENCOURAGED YOU?

When I first saw your blog Salena I was amazed that you had so many kids and look as young as you do. Honestly, I think I stalked you for a bit because I didn't believe you could have all those kiddos and still be so young looking :) As I began to read of your children and the miscarriages you have had I realized how incredibly beautiful your soul is. That you can share the joys and sorrows of motherhood is a gift to the blogging community. I appreciate your honesty and vulnerability, and you for sure inspired me to open my own Etsy shop.

YOUR FIRST BLOGAVERSARY STORY:

Well I started in February 2011 just writing for me and didn't tell anyone, but I only blogged maybe once a month. It wasn't until February 2012 that I really started blogging and first I told my family and they loved it so much and I was amazed by there response so I started networking with other blogs and it just spiraled from there. I have been loving it ever since!!

HOW HAS A LITTLE PIECE OF ME INSPIRED OR ENCOURAGED YOU?

I LOVE Salena's blog! It was in the first month or so of when I really started blogging that she reached out to me and we have been swapping ever since! I have also participated in some of her massive giveaways which bring great traffic to my blog!! You, Salena are such an inspiration and CONGRATS on your 1 year!!

I'm telling you, there are more ladies coming up... aren't they the greatest?!  Stay tuned for Part 3. =)

Oh, a little note... I have been getting messages from some of you readers who are having a hard time leaving comments here on each post below.  If you would like to send me a comment but the comment feature is not working for you, please feel free to send me an email at alittlepieceofme.salena@gmail.com or you can leave a message on my facebook page or twitter using the links below.

I value each and every comment.  I read every single one and reply directly through email.  You may have noticed I do not regularly respond on each post and that's because if the person leaving a comment does not subscribe to replies, they will not be notified and may not return to the post to check back.  So please be sure if you leave a comment that your blogger profile email setting is turned "on".

Don't forget to enter the giveaway here:

A Little Piece of Me

like me on Facebook || follow me on Twitter || visit my Shop || follow me on Pinterest

send me a message here

One Year Ago... an update.

Today marks one year since this horrific day.

Thankfully, Dakota has been fine with the exception of still not wanting to get into the pool.  Two days ago she came up to me and asked me if I can take her into the pool and carry her in the water.  Daddy took them to the pool yesterday but she did not get in.  It's not so important and she will do it when she's ready.

Last night, driving home from the store she started talking in detail about what happened on June 2, 2011.  It was the weirdest thing because she had never done that before.  She asked me over and over again about things that happened and asked me if I remembered all of it.

It was as if it was happening all over again.  The sense of fear and loss came back again.  Aleshanee told me she remembers me crying the whole time.  Dakota asked me why.  It was hard to let the words out of my mouth and tell her I thought she was dead.

Since that night in the hospital when she finally came out of the fog and unresponsiveness, she has continued to be a light, so smart, funny, clever, and so much more than she was before she went under the water that day.

I'm not sure what today should mean.  A day to reflect.  A day to rejoice.  A day to remember.  A day to give gratitude.  Whatever it is, I have revisited that day and the feelings are still there.  I look at her here with me, being able to hold her warm body, hear her heart beating, feel her warm breath, look into her sparkling beautiful joyful eyes, hear her laugh...

I will never forget what happened that day.  I will probably have to relive it for her many times in the future.  I'm just so grateful that I have her and that she is loving life so much.

Congratulations to these May Giveaway winners!

1. 500x150 In Post Banner Ad:: Nora Spaulding

2. 350x200 Large Featured Ad for June:: Nichole Hubbard

3. Charm Cluster Necklace:: Annelise Driflot

Emails have been sent. Please contact me to claim your prize.

Blog / Facebook / Twitter  / Shop / Pinterest
send me a message here

This post is sponsored by:

Three Months... not what I expected

Two days ago, this blog turned 3 months old.  When I started this blog, I did it so that I would have an outlet to share things that were on my heart, things that I am passionate about, things that I think need to be shared with others, things I am going through, random stuff, funny stuff… all in order to inspire others by sharing a little piece of me in this space, my own personal blog.

In the last 3 months I have been myself, open, real, honest, fearful yet knowing that what I have to say could impact the heart and ultimately the life of another.

I had no idea that each of you, who take the time to read my words, leave comments and follow me, were going to have such an impact on my life.

I have never met any of you in person, yet I feel there are some of you who are dear friends.  I wonder sometimes, if we would hit it off and pick up where we left off in blog-land.  Would the distractions of every day life with our kids in tow hinder us from the deep and rich soul bearing connections I sometimes feel we have by reading each other’s words?

For me, it is easy to connect on chat, Facebook, email, blog posts, and blog comments.  It allows me to respond the way I need to when I am able to without the pressure of forming my thoughts in person with my kids screaming, crying, tugging at me, and the many other daily things we all need to tend to.

I write this to acknowledge how grateful I am for those of you who have become friends, for those of you who are here constantly to encourage me and to offer your thoughts to the words I feel need to be shared.

When I first thought of starting my own blog, I just kept repeating to myself… “I am not a writer”.  I mean, who am I to write anything?  I am not grammatically correct; honestly, I have no clue about the structure of sentences and what types of words belong where.  But I thought, hey just be myself.  I think I do a pretty good job of using punctuation well enough to get my point across… well, I hope I do.


The one thing I have learned is I am drawn to those who are real and honest.  I am drawn by those who share things others would not dare to speak.  I noticed that when I do the same, I get the most comments.  We as human beings need to be validated in what we are going through and to know what we are thinking is normal, that we are okay.  No matter what we share there are others who can relate and who are there to encourage us in ways we would never imagine.


I believe that we are each placed at this specific time for a reason.  We are surrounded by people who God wants us to reach out to and by those God wants to use to reach out to us.  A friend made a comment recently... "I know who my REAL friends are because those are the ones who have stayed with me all these years and will NEVER leave me".  Well, you see, I see it differently.  People come into our lives when we need them and some go when they have served their purpose.  I believe that God molds us, teaches us lessons we need to learn, encourages us, brings us out of despair, shows us love, and so much more by carefully planning every encounter between us.  I am grateful for those who have served their purpose in my life and how their impact has changed my life.


I pray that my blog will be such an outlet for me to impact those around me.  

Pin it