Tips on Tuesday: Hello Blogger My Old Friend

Remember the song, "The Sound of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel? I feel like singing that song tonight but changing it up so it's about blogging. I've taken quite the hiatus this summer. I beat myself up over it for a while, but I'm in a new place--a good place about my break.

You see, school has started...many of you think that's no big deal. But, my baby went off to all day kindergarten this year. Yup, it's my version of Early Empty Nesting. I know they will all be back next summer, but I miss them in the day...all of them. But I've always had one left at home as the others went to school. Always one last buddy to play with, create with, go places with. I lamented the going places (like clothes shopping, the doctor's office or the grocery store) with any of them...but I miss them when they are gone.

I've spent time before they went to school and now that they are there pondering my One Little Word for the year: Give. I still migrate back to my original words: Cherish followed by Engaged. But Give is appropriate. I have to give my children over to the care of their teachers and schools. And most days it's easy...but some days are hard.

I worked really hard all summer long to Cherish, Be Engaged in what we were doing and to Give to my children the most precious gift I have--my time. We had a whizz-bang summer of fun that I need to blog about so my far-flung family can see what we've been up to. But I needed to Give myself one more summer, one more day, one more precious hour with all of my babies.

One friend told me we should Savor these times of transition. (Incidentally, I think I found my word for 2012.) During this transition, I've put the blog on the back burner. And now, I am going to have the opportunity to re-live and rejoice in the fun we had this summer. I'm back. I'm putting together giveaways for this fall and into Christmas. I'm looking at some exciting interviews I may get to do and post here. I've got family events to share. Lots of things are in the works, but I'm happy that I took time to Give to my family. I truly Cherish our summer of relaxing and doing fun stuff and doing no stuff. I was Engaged with my kids. And I Savor the time we had together this summer.

Hello Blogger, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again,
Because a vision softly creeping, Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
And the vision that was planted in my brain,
Still remains, within the sound of silence.

And it is silent here. Everyday so quiet and still. It's exciting, sad, joyous and scary all at the same time. But I think I can adjust...because when school gets out, I find that chaos all over again.