50,000 views [and counting!]

I remember getting really excited when I hit 10,000 views on my blog. And an even bigger moment for me was when I hit 70 followers and then 30,000 views.

And now comes my biggest excitement of all so far -- hitting over Fifty Thousand pageviews with 73 followers. It feels like quite a milestone for me, and it's something I never expected to see.

When I started this blog in January of 2010 I, for one, never thought I'd keep up with it. Secondly, I never in a million years imagined that I would have readers. And followers. And commenters! This blog was something I wanted to start for me. I had just started college August of 2009 and I wanted to be able to look back and remember such a huge step in my life. I never thought there was anything extraordinary about my life, and I certainly didn't think anyone would be interested in reading about the ongoings of my life.

I didn't start this blog with intentions of having readers or being popular. I didn't want to promote anything of my own. I never have posted FOR anyone else, it's always been for myself. Most of my posts were are written with a lot of vulnerability and absolute truth. I, many times, write during my time of need and hurt. Perhaps that's why I gained the attention of people who hardly know me. I've been able to connect with so many awesome people. I have gotten a lot of messages from people who say they relate and they are so glad they have found someone who just "gets it".... something that I've always looked for through the many struggles I've had throughout my life; my disease, my late husbands disease, death, grief, and just simply life.

As my followers grew and my pageviews increased I started holding back a little bit with what I posted. I questioned if blogging was something I should really continue doing. I was uncertain if I wanted to share such an intimate and private part of my life with such a big audience (well, big to me). But then I realized that a lot of people who do follow me are here to offer me love, support, comfort, and friendly advice. I also remembered the many people who have contacted me telling me how much I inspire them. How I am their hero due to the many trials that I face. How they are thankful for my blogs. How they can relate to me like they can no one else.

I realized that by writing about my own story and helping myself, I was also inadvertently helping other people who needed it. I therefore decided to continue sharing my life and my story for those willing to soak it all in.

So thank you for sharing with me the highest points of my life. The littlest of improvements and excitement in the Riddle's life. Sharing with me my goals, my hopes, and my dreams.

Thank you also for sharing with me in the lowest points of my life. When I felt like I had reached rock bottom. Being there for me [and Spencer] during our setbacks, no matter how big or small. Thank you for being a source of comfort for me when my world and heart was shattered.

And thank you for sticking around during my crazy rants, my opinionated posts, and likely a million repetitive posts that you read time after time again =)

Here's to another 50,000 pageviews!