Since Silas was born, I’ve posted ten times. Just ten.

Since 2019 began? Once.

In years past, I was posting anywhere from fifty to seventy-one over the course of the year. (not bad!)

You know what’s funny though? I don’t feel guilty. I don’t feel like I’ve let people down. I don’t feel like someone else’s world has come to screeching halt because I’ve set blogging aside.

Do I think some of my loyal followers miss me? Sure! But if I know them like I think I do, I know they understand. They know how much Tom and I have waited for this stage of life to happen, and now that we’ve been living it for the past while, we’re just loving soaking in every moment.

So no, I don’t feel guilty. Life behind the scenes has been pretty routine, and not always very exciting (wake, eat, play, nap, wake, eat, play, nap, wake, play, eat, bath, bed - - - repeat tomorrow), but it’s been such a complete joy to watch our sweet boy grow. He has been our bad napper since forever, he’s obsessed with his mama, and when he’s awake is super sweet, easy going, and engaging. He’s constantly cracking us up, and just popped his third tooth! I don’t feel an ounce of guilt for taking this time to “just” be a stay at home mom. It’s what I’ve always wanted.
And nah, I don’t feel like I’ve let people down. That insinuates that someone was counting on you. Maybe some have missed me (I’ve missed you all too! But I hope you’ve been hanging with me on the ‘Gram), but overall, I’ve not dropped out on any brands I could have been working with or left you all completely hanging (again, Instagram!).
Surely, NO ONE’S world came to a screeching halt without me. If it did, gosh I’m just so sorry, and I hope this post gives you some relief ;) haha… but basically what I’m saying is, I’ve been gone. I’ve been happy. Happier than I’ve probably EVER been. But more and more, as I squeeze-in needed moments away from my son, I find myself drawn back to my little blogging “home” on the internets. To the familiar editing page, and the sound and feel of a keyboard under my fingers. It feels good, friends. I think I’m ready.

So in the old-school style of journal-blogging, let me tell you where I’ve been.

I have been…

changing diapers
rocking and bouncing
doing mountains of laundry
snuggling our bear-dog
getting trapped under a sleeping baby
nursing for a million hours (and still going, if you’re curious)
roadtripping to Asheville for a wedding
hosting at least seven different times
going to the zoo
roadtripping to Indiana
roadtripping to Iowa and Illinois
flying to Wisconsin
making 8 million trips to Target
falling more in love with my Thomas
loving life in Nashville
going on lunch dates
eating more veggies
enjoying nightly cookies
watching our baby learn to roll, crawl, walk, talk, pull-up, find his feet, find his tongue, wave hi and bye…
binging lots of The Office and Parks and Rec
navigating those sleepless nights with an infant
having full nights of beauty rest after 9.5 months
appreciating coffee
loving and speaking kindly to my body
giving baths
applying lotion and sunscreen and butt paste
taking temperatures and giving medicines
soothing a grumpy child
saying “no no, Silas” over and over
kissing bumped heads
telling Hondo “leave it” as he smothers his brother with licks
getting my first tan since moving south!
doing Weight Watchers
dancing in the kitchen and smooching my whole family
picking up toys
cleaning up the highchair
stealing away moments alone
missing my baby while he sleeps

LIVING LIFE

So here I am again. Ready to bring Joy Lynn Lifestyle back to life. I’m not entirely sure where to go from here, and I need to dust off my Canon and take a few practice shoots, but I think for a while I might just journal here like the old days of blogging.

I’ll fill you in on what’s been keeping us busy (or not busy!), what things we’ve been loving, a house tour, a day in the life, struggles, joys, baking adventures… whatever I can think of. It feels like time to write and to hang out in this space again. I’ve spent mannnnny hours on Instagram over the last year, and while there are many uplifting and encouraging facets to that platform, there’s also a TON of BUY BUY BUY, GO GO GO, DO DO DO… and well, I’m not one that needs or thrives on constantly pushing myself towards things that, in the end, are just shallow. I like to simply live. Just be. Just love and appreciate all that I already have, not what I think might ‘be better.’ Do you feel that way? Am I just some crazy lady over here that sees people always going and am extremely content just to take in what’s right here?

Anyway. All that to say… hey guys. I missed ya. Thanks for coming back right now, and for understanding the happy reasons for my hiatus. It’s really been a swell first year of my baby’s life :) But mama needs some time to herself and to come back ‘home’ online.

And I hope you’ve all been doing well over the last year, too! Have I missed anything? Tell me all about it! What are some highlights I may have missed in YOUR lives?!