If you would have told me this time last year that I would be DYING to go to a blogging conference, I would have said “a blogging what?”. I had no idea what a blog was let alone that there were kick butt conferences available for networking, education, and parties!
But I had a life change last year when I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I was really depressed. My business was suffering (I’m a professional organizer), I was feeling sorry for myself and I found myself a SAHM whose kids weren’t home during the day. I was bored with a capital B. I had withdrawn from my family and friends and I wish I had a Slanket back then, because I would have been curled up in that rather than my tattered robe.
I had gotten a laptop for my birthday last January and around April of 08 I started surfing the net for things to do. I found CafeMom and made a lot of great friends, many of whom were in the same position as me. Some of them had blogs. That my friend, was all she wrote.
I’d like to say I fell into blogging, it happened gradually, a relationship that slowly grew over time. But, I would be lying! I read a few blogs one day, decided I had to have me one of those and have been a blogging fool ever since. I’m not ashamed to admit I’m addicted. That I follow a bazillion other people’s blogs and talk about the writers like they are my IRL friends. That I pray for people I will probably never meet with the same fervor as if they were my friend that sits next to me in the pew at church- and people do the same for me.
I have encountered nothing but support and friendship from the other moms in the blogging community. I have never met a group of people so willing to share their expertise, that want you to succeed as much as themselves. It is a truly amazing phenomenon.
When I am looking to buy something, from snacks for my kids to another laptop, I turn to my blogger friends and hopefully they turn to me. I trust their advice and opinions because one thing we all have in common is our love for our kids and our communities.
Which brings me to why I’ve got to go to BlogHer ’09. (I won’t mention that going to Chicago is on my bucket list, oops I just did, didn’t I?) I’ve got to meet the people that make this blogging thing tick. My bloggy idols- too many to name-, the PR reps from the companies that send me samples, books and toys for me and my kids to review and allow me to sit on panels and give feedback about their products and offerings. The people that have taught me social networking and helped me turn my business into an online presence so that I can stay home and feel like I am still contributing to my family. I wish I could say this without sounding so “drama mama” but blogging has given me my life back.
People care about what I have to say, they miss me when I don’t post for a day, they email me when they really enjoyed a story I told, apparently I’ve inspired some people and don’t even get me started on how awesome Twitter and FB are. 
It would be a dream come true to go to Chicago, meet and mingle with fabulous, like minded people and give credibility to what keeps me on the computer so much!
And, BTW I’ll wear a darn Slanket in a different color every day if you want me to (even though in July that may be viewed as a little strange). I’m game! Let’s go to BlogHer!
Thank you, Extraordinary Mothers, for the opportunity to participate! What a blessing!
