Leta Joy

To finish up the week, let me introduce you to another Evansville blogger. Leta's kinda the bonus interview because her name and quotes didn't make it into the article, so y'all never even knew that she impacted my article at all! But she did. Her answers to my few questions helped to solidify some ideas and also helped me to reframe a couple of points. Just having the extra perspective was invaluable.

Without further adieu...

What introduced you to blogging? What was your initial motivation to start your own blog?
My husband first introduced me to the concept of a "blog" in 2000. He is an art director and spends a lot of time on the web researching new media. He thought I would find it intriguing. I opened a free blogger account and skimmed a few blogs. But back then blogs were not anything like they are today. There were no fancy layouts or widgets. I wasn't really sure what to write to begin with and I felt kind of silly writing something that no one would ever read. The few blogs that I did read seemed rather mundane and I wasn't convinced that blogging was something that would take off. (Boy, was I wrong!) I gave it up after a few weeks.

Fast forward six years and suddenly blogs were everywhere. There were famous bloggers. There were blogging conferences. People actually made a living by blogging. I had quit my job to stay at home with our first baby in 2004 and without a career to define me, I didn't know who I was anymore. I didn't want to be "just a mom". I was searching for people who were experiencing the same things I was. A lot of my friends still worked or didn't have kids yet. I needed a creative outlet that I could pick up whenever I had the time. I started to read multiple blogs, blogs about parenting, crafting, cooking, photography, fashion. You name it, it was out there. And these weren't just boring online journals. These were well written, thoughtful sites that people poured their heart and souls into. I was smitten. My bookmarked list of blogs continued to grow. Finally, after several friends and loved ones continued to urge me forward, I started my own blog in April 2006. If only I'd listened to my husband, I could have been a blogging pioneer!

Do you spend most of your blogging time reading or writing blog posts?
I currently have 128 blogs in my RSS feeder, so I would have to say that I spend the majority of my time reading rather than writing. There are so many great sites out there, covering such a wide array of topics, it is difficult to narrow down the list. A few outstanding ones that come to mind are dooce.com, soulemama.com, thepioneerwoman.com, angrychicken.com, rosylittlethings.typepad.com, www.weewonderfuls.com. I typically write after the kids are in bed, and sometimes it takes a few days to cobble together a post.

Do you have hopes for growing an audience or do you like to blog for yourself?
I do enjoy writing for myself. However, I think I write in a different voice when I know that I have a wider audience. I'm wittier, more likely to cut through the fluff and get to the heart of the matter. I would love for my readership to grow and to have a site that brought in revenue, but I will continue to write whether that happens or not. Blogging has expanded my involvement with the outside world. I read blogs written in England, California, Oregon, Maine, Texas, Utah, Australia, Africa, New Zealand, France. The list goes on and on. I have online friends who I have never met in person that are very supportive of me. Blogging has become a part of my life, a part of my creative process. I no longer have the time to fill journals with script but I can hammer out a few paragraphs on the keyboard in my pj's if I want to. Blogging has given me a voice and a platform for my voice to be heard the world over.

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Leta is currently posting daily about finding grace in small things. It's a quick daily read that reminds us of the blessings all around us. But she also intersperses fun posts like this one that shows of her creativity and this one that presents us with her adorable kiddos.

Introducing Eve Chia

Today, my friends, was the absolute happiest day of my life. Now, other days like my wedding and the birth of my children are close seconds, but those days still left me with a burden hanging over my head, a weight and a fear that I have been in constant struggle of giving over to God. Today, God took that situation out of our lives, and my heart is free. After today, I don't have to wonder what will happen to my child after I die. I don't have to wonder whether I could lose my first-born by the ignorant judgment of a judge who makes a snap decision after being on the bench for too long.

Today, Evie legally became a Chia.



For those of you who don't know, Eve is my child from a relationship long before Billy and I ever knew each other. He isn't her biological father, but he has been the daddy that my daughter so desperately needs.

Since before they met, Billy has prayed for Eve, and from the first times the spent together, their relationship has been a priority to him. The first day they met, my precious 5-year-old ran up to me and said something I'll never forget.

"I have a great idea for my daddy. He could be my daddy."

I told her that we would talk to God about it. Little did she know that I'd been talking to God about it for several months, and He'd already made it quite clear that Billy would, in fact, be her daddy.

When we were engaged, Eve called him her "almost-daddy," and the word step-father is not uttered in our home.

But still, there was the legal issue. To the government - that all-too-powerful entity that seems to think it has a right to stick its nose everywhere it's not welcome - she was not a Chia and Billy was not her dad. She was a Moore, and he was just a step-father.

Today, all of that changed.

Today, he is recognized as the father of Eve as if he'd naturally fathered her. Today, I can go out knowing that if I die in a car accident, Eve will remain safe with her daddy.

I guess I feel like I could go on and on, but this post has to end somewhere...

The Secret Life of Kat, et.al.

I found Kat through Shlog and others in that niche who talked about the 40-Day Fast. She was the mastermind behind it (or... she was the tool that God used, whichever.) I visited her site off and on, here and there until this post's lead-in cracked me up so hard, I had to subscribe.

But Kat's not just funny. She's also deep. Seriously. I'm pretty sure this woman is as multi-faceted at a valuable diamond.

Check out her interview to see how she combines both of these to create some pretty darn entertaining inspiration.

Can I use your full name in my article? If not, how would you like to be referred to? Her Royal Highness, The Queen of Blogdom. Or you can just call me Kat. :-)

How long have you been blogging?

3 years in January. Happy Anniversary to me. What is that paper...or wood? Off to google I go...

Apparently, it's leather.

What was the initial motivation to start?

I'd just discovered Shaun Groves blog and I was deeply challenged by his thought provoking posts. I started my personal blog as a place to air my ideas and questions. It was a wonderful outlet. I stopped talking my husband's ear off and started to use writing as a way to iron out my thoughts and make sense of my crazy days. I turned exhausting and sometimes frustrating situations with my kids into stories that made me (and others) laugh.

What caused you to begin 3 separate blogs rather than just sticking all your content on one site?

I think the main reason that I started 3 different blogs instead of just 1 is because I didn't want to waste people's time. I planned to post regularly on all three and I knew not everyone would be interested in all of the topics (family, faith, social justice and music). My music posts also tend to draw a pretty random crowd and wanted to keep those readers somewhat separated from my family posts.

What part did blogging play in your development of your passions?

Oh my goodness. Blogging has revolutionized my dreams. Writing has forced me to think deeper and plan more thoroughly. I've found that I love to inspire people and be inspired by them. For example, last year I ran my first half marathon. While it's always been a dream of mine, I don't know that I would have done it if it weren't for the encouragement and accountability of my readers and blog friends. At the same time, many of those same people told me that they were inspired by my efforts and signed up for their own races.

Another benefit of blogging is that I can continue to be a part of my field of interest and even influence it - while I'm still a full time stay at home mom. I would venture to say I've done more networking in the music industry from the corner of my couch with my MacBook than I ever did in the office.

How integral is the blogging community to what you aim to do with your blogs?

I thrive on the interaction. It inspires me and challenges me. I honestly don't think I'd write if it weren't for the community aspect of blogging.

What do you hope your blogs accomplish?

The Secret Life of Kat - I would love to inspire those who read it to pursue God more deeply than they ever have before. I'd love to help them organize their life, priorities and activities - resulting in a greater sense of simplicity and accomplishment. And I want to make them laugh.

Inspired to Action - This is a team blog and right now, a blog friend named "Euphrony" is taking charge of it. He and the rest of the team are working hard to help people learn to live in a way that positively impacts those in need. We often hear stories about people in need (around the country and around the world) but it's hard to know how to help. That's the goal of Inspired to Action. To help people take action on behalf of those in need and give them practical ways to do it.

Bloggable Music Network - I want to see this site become a thriving community of bloggers who are passionate about spreading great music. We've got an amazing group of musicians who have jumped on board with the idea and we have some huge plans for this year. It's only a month old, but I'm really excited about where it's heading and the impact it can make on the careers of hard working musicians.

Do you mainly blog about how your already live or does your blogging have an impact on your daily life?

I do both. I blog about things that have worked for me AND things that I'm working on. That's really the beauty of blogging - it's a two way medium. Whereas a magazine writer only shares her knowledge, a blogger can share her knowledge AND ask for wisdom from her readers. I've gotten amazing parenting advice as a result of situations I've written about.

Blogging also impacts my daily life by helping me enjoy those crazy moments in life (with 3 small kids, I have many) because I look forward to translating them into funny posts for my readers.

How much time a day do you tend to spend blogging?
Technically, I try to spend 30 minutes a day writing and then I probably spend at least another hour or so reading blogs, formatting posts and replying to readers.

Rainy Day in May

What do I say about my next blogging interview? Misty is amazing. I honestly don't even know how we got connected. I just know one day she commented on my site; then I commented on hers, and it just turned into one big reciprocation until now... a couple years later, and she is my favorite blogging buddy. (Sorry, everyone else who had their fingers crossed, but she is.) You can do a search for Misty in my sidebar there to see how much she's influenced me over the last couple of years. You can also look at nearly every post on here to see what a faithful reader she's been.

But enough with sap... on to what she had to say about blogging:

How long have you been blogging? Since 2004.

What was the initial motivation to start? We lived far away from family and I had hoped that it would inspire them to take an interest in my daughter's life. Also, writing is therapeutic and parenting an emotionally special needs child left me with a need for an outlet.

How has blogging expanded your social network? I've gotten to know some truly extraordinary people. A few I've had the privilege of meeting in real life, and several have become wonderful long distance friends.

Has blogging introduced you to interests that you previously didn't have/didn't think you'd necessarily enjoy? Yes. I am not the craftiest of persons. A few years ago I was the woman with the credit card, who loved to shop. Today I'm the girl who just finished a handmade Christmas (mostly), have no credit cards and I now structure my week around the days spent in my kitchen. Then, I wanted a high rise apartment in Manhattan and today I want a little country house and wouldn't mind a few chickens. I completely hold blogging responsible for this... Not so much my writing of my blog, but what I read on others...

Do you ever use blogging as a way to maintain your identity as a woman, writer, thinker, crafter, scrapbooker, photographer... (basically anything BUT mom)? Perhaps unintentionally. There are those days when I just need to know that I, as a person, exist- beyond the roles I play in my household. Blogging offers that instant opportunity.

Do you feel like you blog to "get things off your chest" or do you blog for your audience's benefit? Both... Some weeks it is one more than the other. I firmly believe, above all things, a blog should be real. I am NOT a people pleaser and so, unfortunately, I will have those times when I just need to rant.

Is your blog's purpose one to help/encourage others or one that is for you and just happens to also appeal to others? I would love my blog to be the first oriented, but I can't say that it is. I'm just a girl, after all. What others derive from what I say- is based on their need. Where as, a thousand different people on any given day, may read my blog- it may only shed some light upon the life of one or two. We all stand in different places, craving different things. I guess my goal is simply to stand in my own place, on the ground of honesty.

How do you decide what to write for your own blog and what to write elsewhere? With a lot of discretion. I keep a notebook (or try to) of things to blog about, which could be interesting. I go over, and over... Sometimes I post on a whim, but pretty rarely.

If a mother asked you, "How do I start blogging?" what would you tell them? That every woman, mother or not, has something to say. Sit down and write. It's that simple. Don't do it for the aqlaim, or the comments. Do it, and write about, what you want to say.

Total Mom Haircut

I was introduced to Beth of Total Mom Haircut's writing last fall, and it was an instant daily read. This woman knows how to balance some great laid-back humor with poignant mothering moments.

So, you can imagine how honored I was that a great blogger like Beth was willing to answer questions from me. I loved her honesty and the stories she shared, so let me share them now with you.

How long have you been blogging?
I've been blogging nearly 3 years.

What was the initial motivation to start?

When I was at a well-visit for my first child, who was then about 9 months old, I found one of those parenting magazines which had an article about mommy blogging. I thought the whole thing sounded really stupid, but I still went home and looked at a few of the sites the article mentioned. Immediately I felt a sense of connection with many of the writers, and connection was definitely something I was missing in my new Stay-At-Home mom position. Within 24 hours I started my own blog.

How has blogging increased your support network?

I feel I've made friends in this way - I know women through the blogosphere and I can tell you about who they are, who their kids are, and what's going on with them. Some of them have been reading my blog since I started it nearly 3 years ago and we now email on a regular basis (in addition to reading each other's blogs).

Has blogging introduced you to interests that you previously didn't have/didn't think you'd necessarily enjoy?

I didn't actually know that I loved writing. In every other venue of my life it has not really been something I enjoyed, or maybe I didn't have anything I felt I needed to write about until I became a mom. It's become a big part of my life now as I write for a few different websites and am exploring other writing opportunities. (Beth also writes at Imperfect Parent, Philly Moms, and Mama Speaks. Quite an accomplished woman!)

How much does "bragging rights" factor into some of the posts you put up about how cool/cute your kids are?

Maybe in the beginning, when I was still sort of finding a voice for my blog. I talk about my kids much less now; it's more about me, really. That said, I certainly share lots of pictures, and I wouldn't do that if I didn't find them to be gorgeous in the first place.

Do you consider yourself a "Mommy Blogger" or a mom who blogs? Do you see a distinction between the two?

I'm a Mommy Blogger. I started my blog as a direct result of becoming a mom. The majority of my posts have something to do with being a mom or a parent from the standpoint of the day-to-day as well as the overall shift to that new identity. Most of the people who read my blog are also Moms, as far as I know.
I do think there is a distinction between the two, but I'm not a mom who is blogging about gardening or cooking or politics, etc. I'm a mom blogging about being a mom, so to me, it's a "Mommy Blog."

Do you feel like you blog to "get things off your chest" or do you blog for your audience's benefit?

Blogging is quite addictive once you start. It becomes a habit very quickly, I think. I blog to keep my thoughts in order and to remember these times in my life, especially since mommyhood can be so very hazy sometimes (like when one has a new infant). I suppose I would blog even if no one read it because it is just something I need. Certainly having an audience changes the tone a bit though. It has taken it from more of a journaling type of style to something that (I hope) is a bit more entertaining for readers.

I, Mollie

I had the pleasure of talking to Mollie Erickson on the phone a couple of month ago to talk about why she blogs. Honestly, when I called her up, I expected about 10 minutes because I was really just looking for a quick quote to localize my article. I'd pretty much already written it in my head when my editor gave me the names of a couple of Evansville women who blog.

But I quickly realized I had one very interesting mom on the phone.

Mollie really impressed me as a mom who took her work seriously. I discussed her creative blogging in my article, but what I didn't get to talk about was the way she models her creativity in her life. I believe wholeheartedly that actions speak louder than words, and Mollie has made the priority to prove that creativity and art are important to her.

Our conversation made me wish that I could have known Mollie while we were still in the same town because I know I would've loved to get in on her creativity workshops - evenings that she has hosted at her home to encourage adults to keep up with their own creations even while being overrun by the hectic schedule of life. I highly value the idea of creating and taking time out for priorities, and Mollie is actively showing her kids that art is a worthwhile priority. I really appreciate that.

But enough about what I have to say. I hope you'll visit her blog, tell her hi, and get to know her and her sweethearts, Henry and Svea.

A couple of my favorite posts to get you started:

Hippy Potty Mas - for a look at this woman's talent.
Just in Time for the Oscars - to remember how kids' minds memorize and connect in crazy ways.
A Call for Community - to join in prayer for another mom (and rest of the family) that desperately needs God's peace and wisdom right now.

What Motivates a Blogging Mom?

This month, I had the privilege of writing a fun article for Evansville Parent about why moms blog. It was a great opportunity to get to know some of my own favorite bloggers (who graciously participated in some e-mail interviews) and to find some not-so-new, but new-to-me bloggers from my own hometown of Evansville.

You can see the cover above and read the PDF spread here. (page 8 of the PDF)

But why stop there?

The fact is that when I interview someone for an article, the conversation often includes way more than I could possibly fit into a 1200-word article. And I felt like these ladies gave me so much good stuff that it would be a shame to limit it to what could be worked into my piece.

So, this week, I'll be featuring the interviews of some great blogging moms.

Here's the 5-day forecast for This One Goes Out...

Monday (see next post): Mollie Erickson from I, Mollie - the cover girl of the piece.
Tuesday: Beth from Total Mom Haircut
Wednesday: Misty from Rainy Day in May
Thursday: Kat from Secret Life of Kat (and 2 other blogs!... this woman is amazing.)
Friday: Leta from Leta Joy

Hope you'll come back to see what these ladies have to say and be sure to visit them as well!

Week in Review

So, it seems like forever since I posted, but now I see that it's only been a week, so I don't really feel bad about that.

I wish I had some great excuse for why I never keep up a steady habit on this darn thing, but ultimately, I usually just don't feel like writing much these days.

I will say that I've spent significant time lately getting other things going, and the blog has kind ... sat. Alone.

But anyway... in the last week, Billy worked quite a bit of overtime, which is difficult for him, and also can be difficult for me. I miss him when he's gone, and it's particularly hard after a long day just me and the kids to not have him home until after bedtimes. His presence gives the place a different feel, changes the scenery a bit.

We also haven't had a car for ... oh a month and a half. We're getting the run-around from the mechanic. I mean... really, how can you really justify keeping someone's car for 46 days (and counting) and not calling once to let us know what the freak is going on??? Supposedly, they're working on it. At some point, though, I guess we're gonna have to figure out how to get our hunk of junk back without paying for the repairs that have supposedly already been done but have not actually fixed the problem.

But, I was fortunate to have a friend volunteer to come pick us up last week to get together at their place. That was a very nice change.

And today, I finally succumbed to a sickness that has been stalking me for literally weeks. But I'm downing vitamin C like it's crack and throwing lots of water for good measure. Hopefully, this won't last too long.

And for the record... "succumbed" is the actual past tense to succumb, even though some people say it's "succame." I think they are confused because of the homophone at the end of "succumb" and "come." But I looked it up just to be sure, and this is right. :)

Throwing Out the Fat Pants

So, I just wanted to take a quick moment to share a victory.

In December, I stepped on the scale at my parent's house to see that I'd lost 10 pounds since the last time I'd checked, which was probably around April. At that point, I'd been frustrated because the scale wasn't moving, so I just stopped weighing myself. Oh, and the minor detail that I didn't actually have a scale. That helped, too.

But anyway, seeing the drop in pounds was quite a motivation for me to lose those last 20 pounds that were still hanging on from the pregnancy.

My first goal was to lose 10 lbs. by Valentines, and then another 10 by my birthday in early April.

So, here we are just 4 days from Valentines. How'd I do? Well, the official weigh-in will be Saturday, but I'm pretty pleased with the results so far. I think I've only lost 9, but still. That's pretty darn good.

But the real victory came this morning when I cleaned out my dresser and got rid of the fat pants! I am now able to fit into every pair of pants I used to wear except one (and really, who likes that pair anyway!) So, I'm officially donating the larger sizes to the local thrift store for some other overweight chick to grab up and hopefully slim her way out of soon.

Song Story

When Billy and I were still in the "getting to know you" stage, the topic of music obviously came up. With both of us being musicians and having spent lots of time in college playing rock instead of hitting the books, we had lots to talk about.

One of those things was Billy's theory that people like the music they like (or not) because of the memories associated with it.

You know those songs you can hear and instantly you have an emotional response? We got to have that experience at church this Sunday.

Now, since Billy used to be a worship pastor, some people might think that music was a really important thing to us in looking for a new church, but we really felt like musical style was quite low on the list of priorities, taking a back seat to solid Biblical teaching, heart for missions (local, domestic, and church planting), and a focus on small groups.

We do think that the lyrics of the songs are important, but we just felt like we could manage with a wide array of possible styles, so it wasn't something we were analyzing at the churches we visited. We were so excited, though, that Summit's music rocks - down to the intentional feedback and everything.

Anyway, this Sunday, we got to sing 2 songs we love: "In Christ Alone" and "Not to Us."

These songs are just songs that are catchy or that we're familiar with. They invoke deep emotions for both of us because these are songs that we had at our wedding. And we had them at our wedding for particular reasons.

"In Christ Alone" (led at our wedding by B.J. Barnes) is an amazing song that tells the entire gospel process in a few short stanzas. We wanted to have this one because we wanted everyone at our wedding to hear the gospel message by the time they left.



"Not to Us" (led by Cassie Hodges - an incredible vocalist who was only 17 at the time!)was also important as a message that even though it was our wedding, our lives are not our own. Our marriage is God's. It will be successful only when God is getting the glory for our triumphs and when we are turning to Him during our struggles. Our lives are unified because God had a purpose for us, not just because we're in love (although we are!).

Start 'Em Out Early

I believe in the idea that housework is fun until you learn that it isn't. Combine that with the concept of "If you can get it out, you can put it away," and suddenly you have your 2 year old doing the cleaning. Boy this is the life!

Other responsibilities include putting plastic bowls away, answering phone calls, and flushing the toilet. :)

Where I Belong

This morning, I leaned over to my hot husband during Paul's sermon and said, "I want to marry Summit Crossing Church."

Today was awesome on so many incredible levels, but one thing that I'm thinking of in particular is the concept of church membership.

We went to this class called Discover this morning, where we heard about some vision, mission and history of the church. This is kinda a class to tell people what the church is all about, and if people are down, then it leads to church membership.

I have a weird relationship with church membership.

Believe it or not, I was not even a member at the last 2 churches where Billy worked. At the first one, Billy was a member by default by being on staff. But the pastor told us that I could could go through a membership class that was supposed to start the month after Billy got hired. It got canceled for some reason, and a month later, the pastor announced that he was leaving the church. No new membership classes were given.

At Chase Valley, no one told Billy that he wasn't a member until about September. (This would be 9 months after he started working there.) He asked what he had to do, and they said that he had to come up front and proclaim that he wanted to be a member and serve there. It was odd, as he'd been serving there quite prominently for quite a while. Yet, still, we weren't members.

The church we went to in between those two (which I'd gone to for several years before marriage) didn't really emphasize formal membership because they held the belief that members would make themselves known by their participation in the church life - small groups, service, etc.

Today, though, I got another flavor of membership. There is a commitment made with membership at Summit Crossing. Membership is an agreement and there are requirements, and I appreciate that because it helps to show people that there's more to following Christ than saying, "Oh... yeah... church is cool." We're supposed to learn more about the specifics next week, and I'm excited.

But one thing that really excited me and Billy was the heart that the elders have for reaching the city. Having requirements for membership will limit the number of people who want to join, but it never has to limit the number of people who will meet Jesus and eventually join the Kingdom of God and grow in their faith and relationship with God.

We learned today that there are about 230 members of Summit, but there averages 500 people who come to a service on Sundays. This means that the members of Summit are reaching out to our community. Instead of having tons of people "on the rolls," and few people in the chairs, Summit has lots of people in the chairs and then asks for a deeper commitment made to be considered an actual member.

I don't know. I guess I don't really have a point to this post. I just thought that it was neat, and I love my church, and I wanted to share where we are in the process of getting involved.