10 Years Later

This week marks 10 years since I wrote my first blog post. And that post itself was really only a quote. It was called Calling All Magic-Bean Buyers. And then, simply this:

“If you are a dreamer, come in. If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hoper, a prayer, a magic-bean-buyer. If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire, for we have some flax-golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in!” ~Shel Silverstein

Today I simply want to say thank you for coming in. Thank you for being the kindest community on the Internet.

To those of you who comment and send emails and to those of you who read silently and would never comment in a million years – thank you.

To those of you who I’ve met in real life because of this space and to those of you who I will never have the privilege of meeting on earth – thank you.

To my fellow writers, readers, Parks & Rec lovers, bench-dwellers, Tuesday friends and fellow magic-bean buyers – thank you.

Without each of you, I’m simply talking to myself. So I am ever grateful to you for reading. Here’s to the next 10 years of writing on a blog, however many changes and new forms that might take!

Okay. I’m done with my speech. Now in honor of 2016, here are my Top 16 Most Read Posts of all Time:

  1. One Thing Your Daughter Doesn’t Need You to Say
  2. 12 Things Your Daughter Needs You to Say
  3. Dare to Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets Black
  4. Choosing the One You Least Expect
  5. A Staying Prayer for Mothers of College Freshmen
  6. One Thing That Will Make Your Soul Explode
  7. 14 Ways to Make Mediocre Art
  8. The Spiritual Discipline of Wearing Better Pants
  9. A Sending Prayer for College Freshmen
  10. For the Girls
  11. Hush
  12. For Those of You Who Don’t Comment on Blogs
  13. Becoming a Soul Minimalist
  14. A Sweet Cup of No Expectations
  15. What’s It Like to be An Introverted Woman in Church Circles
  16. One Alternative to Pessimism and Optimism

Also, I’m embarrassed to say my Stitch Fix Reviews page is the 2nd most visited page on this site, right behind One Thing Your Daughter Doesn’t Need You to Say. It’s where I show photos of me and my big self wearing stitch fix clothes. (insert eye roll emoji). I’m reluctant to tell you this because I know you will click there now, but in the spirit of full disclosure, there you go.

Welcome to Chatting at the Sky. I’m glad you’re here! If you would like to receive regular reminders to create space for your soul to breathe, sign up here for my monthly notes from the bench, where I’ll share books I’m reading, favorite things, and encouragement for your soul you won’t find anywhere else.