Milestones v. 2.0

If you recall, back in July I wrote a “Milestones” post, referring to both my 100th blog post and my son’s 12th birthday.

Well, today I’m writing another one! Let’s call it Version 2.0 🙂 It’s another two-parter.

#1: SIX months of blogging + NEW SITE!!!

Whew, this one feels huge to me right now. I have now officially had my blog for just over 6 months, but I chose October 17th as my official “milestone” date (which was Saturday).

When I started the blog back at the beginning of April 2020 (April 4th to be exact), I had no idea what I was doing. I felt uncomfortable with the whole idea of putting my ideas out there for the world to see, but yet I had been feeling a strange pull to write. The tech-y side of having a real website was totally foreign to me, too.

On April 7th (just 3 days after publishing my first post), I received this quote in one of 5 Am Joel‘s emails:

The best advice I’ve ever received is: “No one else knows what they’re doing either.” 
– Ricky Gervais

I didn’t know Joel at the time, but had been on his email list for a few months. This advice was just so perfect and timely for my first week of blogging that I replied to the email to thank him. I wrote a post back in April mentioning this too, but he responded to my email, offered to check out my blog and gave me some more amazing advice.

He told me, “When I started out blogging, I just told myself I would keep going for 6 months. Then when I got to 6 months, I’d go for another 6 months. Just keep going. Don’t worry about all the details.”

In that moment, I decided I would use October 17th (my birthday) as a 6 month “deadline”. I promised myself I would keep blogging at least until that date, and then would re-evaluate how it was all going. Well, I made it!!!

Joel has been such a positive inspiration and has become what I would call a real friend over these past months. He has offered countless bits of feedback, help and has even shared my blog link a couple times on his (awesome) email list!!

As you can see, I finally got up the nerve this weekend to attempt the rather large job of figuring out how to convert my old, novice Blogger site over to this shiny new site you are looking at!! My very own WordPress.org site, with my very own URL…gratefulkae.com. What do you think???

(I honestly feel so smart and proud of myself for setting this all up on my own that I am considering signing up to lead a mission to Mars next week. THAT is how genius I feel. LOL!!!!) It was quite the undertaking but I DID IT! Woo-hoo!!

Joel offered to do a Zoom call last night with me to walk me through some of the quirks of WordPress and help me figure out some final details. WOW. Seriously, one of the nicest people ever. I secretly hope that one day when COVID goes away and we can travel again, that we might end up on a trip to L.A. and could meet him! He and his wife just sound so cool and I bet they’d be a blast to hang out with.

#2 My 37th B-Day

Also on Saturday was the milestone of my 37th birthday. Okay, not a “true” milestone birthday (3 years to go for that one!!! Eek!). But it was still a great day and I am truly thankful on every birthday that I have been gifted another year of life.

After lunch we went to a…..MOVIE!!! OMG. I had forgotten how much I love going to the movies. This was our first time since probably January. The theater was completely empty except for one other family nowhere near us, the seats were all taped off to show they had been sanitized (we had to break the seal to sit down) and I felt 1,000% safe. Exponentially safer and less contact than at the grocery store.

We saw a new release called “The War with Grandpa” with Robert DeNiro about a 6th grade boy who starts a “war” with his Granpda to get his bedroom back after his Grandpa moves in with them. It’s hilarious and was perfect for the whole family.

Daily Gratitude:

I am grateful for so much right now! I feel so grateful for a wonderful birthday- amazing time with my family, thoughtful gifts from everyone and just a really special time. I’m also so grateful for what this blog brings to my life- for people who actually read it(!!) (and especially my faithful blogger friends who comment on my posts and keep me going!), and people like my sister and Joel who have been willing to offer help and feedback about it. Thank you.