Simplify.

For the past three days, I have been completely and totally consumed by trying to get this blog up and running. During my Bible studies, I found myself losing focus and coming right back to my blog. I'm spending too much time on it around my kids. Talk about modeling screen time. 🤷🏼‍♀️ While I was supposed to be sleeping last night, I was up fighting with slow internet connections and trying to make it a functional page. (Still have quite a ways to go, I'm not done!)

I've got lofty goals of monetizing eventually, but I think it's best to take it one step at a time. ;-)

This is supposed to be the real and true life of my journey as a mother and I was making it about something else and making it way too complicated. I was trying to make it look as beautiful as some of the other successful mom blogs look. I was looking up ways to make money off of it before I had even launched it!

But that's NOT my story.

My story is being my own version of a mother.

Let me try to explain. For weeks, I have been trying to boost my following on Instagram, trying to make "friends." And, it wouldn't be fair to say that I haven't made any. I think I have made a few lasting connections, at least. But gaining a follower who will just turn around and unfollow me once I click to follow back? That's not what I'm about, or at least I don't want to be.

It's hard to connect with people nowadays, especially for a homebody like me. (Then, add living states away from everyone I hold in my heart!) Social media is really the only way I get to connect with the outside world. I spend WAY too much time on it, if we're being honest. But, in my defense, I have to learn about the Houston area somehow. Connecting with other mamas around here is helping me to do that! But I have yet to meet any of them face-to-face. I'm hoping that I will be able to train myself to ease off of it once I start making friends here!

I'm getting off topic (which I do, regularly!).

I don't have a picture perfect home to offer. I don't even really decorate... (This pic is about as good as it gets, though this spot could really use a potted plant! ) I don't make pretty food. I don't craft. Most of my homemaking tips have come from someone else on Pinterest!

So, for now, I just want to direct my focus toward the people who WANT to follow my life. I am raising two amazing, beautiful kids and I don't want them to be just another pair of kids on social media. I want to share pictures and stories of them because I know the people who see/read them will think they're special!

From our hotel stay this past weekend. They loved it!

God is telling me to SIMPLIFY. He's telling me to not overcomplicate my life. If He were having coffee with me, He would probably be saying, "What really matters, Ashley?"

And, even though He's not actually physically sitting with me, drinking coffee, I am definitely getting the message. My focus shouldn't be on what everyone else is doing.... I typically don't do things like everyone else. I might ask for advice or suggestions, but, ultimately, I do things the way I feel is right. And right now, THIS is right. I LOVE writing. I LOVE my babies. I LOVE talking about this God-given gift of being a mama. So here, I'm combining all these things that I love into one.

Today, I simply just want to share with you.

I hope you come back. :-)