Red-letter day

Happy Blogiversary to Me!

One full year since I put MySelf out there to be seen. My, how things do change. When I first discovered the 'sphere, I was devoted to my first blog-friend Miss Issues' daily offerings, and surfing St. Blog's big ol' Catholic list. Things are different now: Miss Issues went underground (and I miss her!), and my reading evolved. My description did, too. When I started, I defined myself thusly:

I'm a wife and mommy (three cheers for both)... a southern girl (minus the dramatic accent)... a cradle Catholic (but not a very good one)... an enthusiast for fine literature (but not someone who can quote it)... a 2nd soprano chorus girl (who'd love, just once, to have a solo)... a firm believer that things happen for a reason (I can back that up with stories)... and a journal-keeper since I was 9 years old.

Then I admitted this was much more mommy-blog than religion blog, and who am I, anyway, to associate myself with the good St. Bloggers who are so much more devoted than I am! ....and I got embarrassed for sayin' I cain't quote lit'rature in the same breath as saying I didn't have an accent. ;) So I edited:

I'm a wife and mommy, and love both roles... a southern girl, minus the dramatic accent... a cradle Catholic with somewhat of an ecumenical sensibility... a Book Club member who's slacked quite a bit since having a baby... a 2nd soprano chorus girl who'd love, just once, to have a solo... a firm believer that things happen for a reason... a journal-keeper since I was 9 years old

Then I stopped caring about being southern, really (I've never cared about it that much in the first place), and I started getting the solos in my little church choir... and I finally quit trying to have a definition. If I could be defined in 75 words or less, even I wouldn't want to know me. :) I'm a mystery, that's what. But still a journal-keeper. A diarist. A lover of memories. All this to say: This thing is for me, y'all. Years later I want to go back and remember this time in my life. (Here's a real question: Do any of you back up your blogs just in case? How?)

I stole this idea from someone else: As my blogiversary gift to you, I'm de-lurking my own first name. Hi, World, I'm.... Lee. el-e-e, I think we'll say, for creativity's sake and because I always end up spelling it when I give my name over the phone, or at the hostess stand at Applebee's. Plenty of friends have called me by name in the comments, anyway, and it's perfectly okay. There's something odd about wanting to remain anonymous when I share some of my innermost thoughts here. But there's still that Internet safety thing... so el-e-e. Call me whatever you like.

I had high hopes for my witty contributions to the information superhighway -- editorial comment on news and issues, inspired interpretations of my life's little moments, encounters with God in the everyday details... but most of those positions were brilliantly filled long before I got here. Lots of you write SO WELL. I'm in awe of you. I've learned from you, and determined that I'm quite the amateur. I'm okay with that. You're also SO FUNNY! How do you DO that? Is it the cursing? I suppose I could try that, but.... well, Mom's my most loyal reader, I'd better not. :) It's not me, anyway. But, sh*t! You guys crack me up. (see?) Mostly, I've learned that *all* of us parents, writers, employees, singletons, cooks, musicians, wives, students... are bumbling through it, some days. And that's quite comforting.

So I'm just journaling, trying to keep a handle on *my* humble thoughts and ideas. Taking steps toward knowing who I am. Like one of my heroes, Neil Armstrong, the walking is jumpy and glide-y and sometimes doesn't even touch ground.

It's very nice that some of you come by and read me. It makes my little heart go pitter-pat. Have a virtual cupcake, it's my birthday!