the one in which I ask for audience participation.

Months have passed, so many months, since I've written here, and I feel a bit like an intruder, red-cheeked and unabashedly ashamed for letting so many lovely days go by without putting down a word.  Life has been happening in the most humorous, terrifying, and beautiful kinds of ways, and yet here I am, whole and fully assembled. 

A few nights ago, as I was lying in bed and just about to slip into sleep, Rob nudged me unexpectedly and sweetly whispered, hey, I miss reading your blog posts and the words you write... and I just thought you should know.

My response was, of course, something like YOU ARE A TERRIBLE LIAR AND WHY IS IT SO HOT AND I WISH YOU'D STOP STEALING ALL OF THE COVERS AND WHY ARE YOU TOUCHING ME WITH YOUR COLD, GROSS FEET.  

(To be fair, his feet were very VERY cold.) 

But the truth is, I miss this place too. Earlier this week, on a whim, I started reading through previous things I've written and declared on the internet, and I landed on this.  And this. And this.  And I was simultaneously embarrassed, shaken, grateful, proud, and encouraged. Because what is sharing our thoughts with others if the words and stories we tell don't ultimately bring us straight back to ourselves? 

Since I've last written here, life has sprinted and puttered and spun around at least twice. I got married. (No one is more surprised than me.) I've traveled to some incredibly beautiful places. I've created a special home with a husband who is much too nice for me but who inexplicably loves me anyhow. I've gone up a pant size and in utter desperation have begun taking indoor cycling classes. I've started eating more fish, which has been truly frightening. I've joined a book club and have listened to approximately one million podcasts. I've made new friends and have said goodbye to precious family members. I've laughed and cried, and peed my pants at least twice. Guys. A lot has happened.

I'd like to get back to telling these small stories in the hopes that one day I can look back and remember exactly what it felt like to be myself, on this day, in this space. I'd like to keep the written record going, just so I can't forget about the wonderful things that fill up the hours between the sprinting and the puttering and spinning. 

But you'd know what I'd also like? I'd like to find more of a community in this place. I'd like to ponder and respond to prompts and thoughts from you all, my friends and family (and the three other strangers who read this- bless you.) What would you like to hear about? What would you like to read about? What kinds of stories can we share with one another? What kind of wonderful information can we embarrass one another with? How can we keep each other accountable for continuing to seek, create, share, and evolve? Call me crazy, but wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all put pen to paper and let the record show that though our days were ordinary, they were filled with extraordinary thoughts and big, rowdy, raucous dreams? If that sounds like your kind of jam, can we jam together? Comment here. Leave me your links to your blogs or to your portfolios. Jot down your questions and tell me your stories. Words are so powerful, and I'd love to give, share, and trade more of them, especially with all of you.