Neglected but not forgotten.

The last week and a half have been full. Busy. Kiddo wrapped up the school year Friday, but spent the week with a summer bug. He barely ate and begged me to let him go to school the last two days even though his grey skin color suggesting staying home would be prudent. Mario was in California for 7 days and I was in the throes of my research. Our house only saw us at bedtime and prior to our 7:30a departure.

There were a lot of demands on my time and energy. There were a few moments where I was completely overwhelmed (and worried about a certain young man who wouldn't eat more than two bites of anything). I simply didn't have time to blog. Yet this little corner of my world was never far from my mind. I routinely reminded myself how long it had been since I'd posted. Nagged myself even. Possibly scolded once or twice. Then I caught whatever virus was making Kiddo miserable and have spent the last two days in a Sudafed fog. I cared a little less that my blog was getting neglected. Then I lost a follower. Just one. But I was bummed when I saw that number go down. A week without a post and my bloggy friends abandon ship? How fickle!

In all honestly, it was probably someone who starting following me for a contest and was merely cleaning out their blog roll. I've done the same thing. It also reminded me why I contemplate ditching my GFC widget on a regular basis. I'll be honest: something as small as one less follower made me realize I had, at some point, turned this blog into an obligation. Another burden to lay on my shoulders. I like to write and relate to other bloggers! It's fun! So why did I turn it into an expectation?

Times like these are a good reminder of why I do this and what I enjoy about it. Followers should be an afterthought if I extract joy from the process of writing for this blog. Here's my point: I'm back but was never really gone. And although I turned a short absence into a negative thing, it shouldn't be. It was an opportunity to slow done and realign my perspective. Staring at a blank screen whilst pressuring myself to come up with a significant post is silly. That's not what this is about for me.

A week from Saturday we head out on a 4-week vacation to Montana. We'll spend time with family and friends, relax, take some road trips, and Mario and I have a whole week to be fancy free in the Pacific Northwest while Kiddo is in camp. I've become enamored with photography over the last 6 months and can't wait to see familiar and new places from behind the lens of my camera. I look forward to sharing my adventures... and hearing from those who can relate to where I've been and what I've been up to.

That's why I blog.