Moving Forward

The time has come to move on. I’ve been blogging faithfully for almost a year and a half now. It has been very therapeutic for me, plus gives me a chance to update those around the country (and even a few followers internationally!) on how Clare and our family is doing. But lately I’ve been questioning the need to blog anymore. No need to fear – I will continue! But it is time to move forward.

We originally titled this blog “Clare’s Journey,” but it has really been about our entire family’s journey through this confusing, often times scary, but frequently wonderful, world of Williams syndrome. I needed this blog during those early months. I have always enjoyed writing, but was never good at keeping a diary. Blogging, however, came naturally. I have always been the kind of person that when I am angry or upset, just the simple act of writing it out makes me feel better. If I am irked at something a friend has done, I will type them an e-mail. Then I will delete it because I feel so much better just having the words written down, and I can move on without holding that grudge. Maybe I should be braver and confront people sometimes, but that’s not how I function. So being able to share my thoughts and feelings during Clare’s days of diagnoses, tests, caths, and surgery gave me a release for all that emotion. And I believe it made me a stronger person because I wasn’t bottling it all up inside.

In some ways, I know I still need this blog because our journey isn’t over. Williams syndrome is not a chapter in our life that will ever end. What we worry about with respect to Clare having WS will change, but there will always be something. However, it is time to move past that as my sole reason for blogging. Another WS parent made the comment a while back that having their third child (their second had WS) “normalized” their family again. It sounded kind of weird at the time, but being pregnant again, I can see that. I am sure a large part of this is due to the fact that Clare’s medical worries have slowed down. We’re not in that crisis mode anymore. But I am also getting past the whole WS aspect of who Clare is and seeing all the other things she is as well. Williams syndrome will always be a part of our life, but it’s not the focus of our life. I know there is no law about what I can and can’t write about. However, before, I felt that this blog was for and about Clare and that was it. I don’t feel that way anymore. Now I know it is for me and my whole family. I’ll still call it “Clare’s Journey,” but it’s not just her journey – it’s our journey.

So maybe I will blog less often, but trust me, I will keep it up (at least for now – who knows when that infamous Jelly Bean comes along!).And now we will most likely hear more about what Mr. James is up to as well as Miss Clare since in our daily life, he is every bit a part of it. He’s kind of an in-your-face kid! I hope the blog is still readable and enjoyable. Tears and drama sell so much better, but I am happy to let that stuff go, even if it makes us boring!