Happy Birthday, The Rambling Llama!

A year ago today, I hit that scary little orange publish button.
To be fair, I did have a previous blog but thanks to Google completely deleting it, there is no record of it ever existing. So even though TECHNICALLY I started blogging in April (?) It's The Rambling Llama's birthday!!! My first post is here. When Amanda and I tried to have a #TBT link up. Sheesh... that was rough. No one ever wanted to come play with us on Thursdays. She was Peaches in Missouri at that point. Wow. So much has changed.
Well... maybe not THAT much... because this is still true:

I'm not really sure if I knew I'd be where I am now when I started blogging. I started because Amanda said "hey your funny kid stories would make a great blog". She pushed me a lot to start one. She finally had to help me. You have her to thank for me being here now. I'm really not sure where I'll be this time next year. Hopefully with more followers, if not... oh well...

What I do know is this: 

|| I really enjoy blogging. I've found this to be a really enjoyable hobby. I can get random thoughts out. Share things I never dreamed of sharing with the world. The possibilities are endless.

|| I didn't plan on having my amazing tribe. These ladies are seriously the best. Our bloggy pow wows are something I look forward to each month.

|| It's OKAY to break the "blogging rules". Don't do this for the rules. Do this because it's something you enjoy.

|| I'm not a fashion blogger. I cannot throw together cute outfits, photograph them, and display them for the world to see. As much as I love cute clothes, I can't pull this off. Except for when I'm given free clothes and forced to take pictures. And that's ok.

|| Meeting strangers you've met online in person at blogger functions is a lot less scary after you've talked to them for over a year.

|| Those "strangers" you've grown close to will ensure that no matter where you go in the world, you will almost always have someone to meetup with, talk "shop" and have fun.

|| Gifs can make or break your post. Sure, they're fun and entertaining, but choose your gifs wisely, friends. Kasey does this wonderfully!

|| Oversharing excites people. When I feel like I hit publish on something that is really hard for me to share, y'all EAT THAT STUFF UP! lol!!

I'm not typical

|| Blogging is a perfectly acceptable way to list random things out. Who doesn't love a great list?

|| If you disappear for an entire month without any notice, people you've never met in real life will worry about you.

I've learned a lot from blogging. I've learned a lot about community, empowering other people, and what real friendship and real prayer is all about. I've also learned a lot about myself. I almost feel like finding this hobby has made me a better person.

It's also totally OK to go through old blog posts and use pictures that some new readers may not have ever seen. Like I've done today. So there's that.

Happy Friday, y'all! Thanks for sticking around for a whole year. Here's to many MANY more! Don't worry, Cassie, I won't quit on you, yet. ;)

FINALLY!! Don't forget! To celebrate, This week Emelia, Kerri, and I have teamed up with some amazing ladies to give YOU a gift for our blogiversaries! We're giving away $240 CASH! Time's running out to enter! You don't want to miss out on this. I'm super thrilled that I have these ladies in my life!

Your June Blogiversary Host Ladies: Emelia, Kerri & Melissa

The Party People & Awesome Co-Hosts: 

Niki, Becca, Anne, Kati 

The Gals- B&M, Rebekah, Lisa, Julia, Hope

Lindsay, Kate, Linda, Alex, Rachael

Meagan, Kristin, Erica, Kelly, Rebecca 

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