My 500th Post!!

Can you believe it?! 500 posts!

500 posts about infertility, pregnancy, motherhood, my beautiful girls, and everything in between. It's amazing how far I've come since starting this blog. Where I am now is a far cry from where it all started and where I  was here, here, and here. 3 years ago when I had this idea to start writing my feelings outs, I would have never thought that I would still be doing it, or that it would mean so much to me, or that it would have allowed me to meat so many great people.

At first, I just looked at it as a place where I could chronicle my journey while dealing with IF. A place where I could let everything out. I'd could have never imagined that this little blog would then become a sort of journal to my life. And now mostly importantly my children's lives. I love writing, I always have. I love looking back through the archives and being able to have those memories at my finger tips. That is priceless!!

 I would have never imagined the people I would "meet" out there like me, the paths I would cross, and being able to experience the genuine encouragement and kindness from pure strangers out there....you the readers! So for that I thank you. Thank you to all of you who have been so amazing and that have supported me during the most difficult times of my life, and also helped celebrate some of the happiest times of my life!! It may have seemed just like a random comment on a blog, but to me it was more than that. Most of you I don't know IRL, some of you I have created "friendships" with, and I am sure there are people out there that read and never comment, and that's okay too. But I have enjoyed getting to know you over the last couple years, following your stories, and am grateful for the friendships this blog has allowed me to create.

Over the years, I have stayed true to my blog. (You all should read this post about how I feel about the business of blogging and going Bloggywood). My intentions have always remained the same here- no matter how many (or less) followers I have. I've never done a giveaway, never sold ad space, and never pimped out products for personal gain because my blog grew in popularity. I get numerous offers to do so, and absolutely no offense to those that have or do, but that's just not what my blog is about. And will never be. As stated in that previous post, I created this to document my life and that's how it will stay. I will never try to profit, or try to make any gains (besides friendships) from my blog. I keep it near to my heart and that's how it will stay. Whether 2,000 readers or 2.

It's not always easy, blogging. And sometimes I go through times where I put it on the back burner because I simply don't have time, but I am always thinking about it.  Moments I want to capture, pictures I want to share...but I have never given up and I am not sure if I could entirely. Mostly because I want to have these moments documented.

But this blog. My little space on the web I am grateful for. I didn't start out as "Pieces of My Life: Tales from a High Maintenance Mother of 2" it was Pieces of My Life: A Wife and Mother Struggling With Secondary Infertility to Have a Second Child". I am forever blessed that I got to change my title. My blog has given me a place, a "platform" if you will, where I can talk about infertility freely. It has allowed me to have a voice, even if just a whisper on the topic. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to help people going through the same thing, or that just need  a little encouragement from someone who had success after infertility, and really love getting those emails.

SO here's to 500!! and 500 MORE!!!