Let the blogging journey begin

Hello friends, welcome to my NaPinch blog!

I’m new to blogging, I thought I would share a little about myself and how I came to this crossroads in my life. I've spent the last two months reflecting on my first 45 years. I’m at a fork in my road of life. Not a Y, not a T, certainly not a U, for sure not a dead end or one way. Maybe more like a 4-way stop or a yield. I’m at a transitional period in my new life of living alone, no one depending on me. Oh, which way will I go Dr. Seuss? Will I go here? Will I go there? Will I go right? Will I go left?

Like most mothers, I struggle with the "empty nest syndrome". Who am "I" now? What do “I” do now? How do “I” occupy my time now? With no more school functions, PTA meetings, fund raisers, parent/teacher conferences, report cards, dances, or sporting events.... I’m left to sort out the Who? What? When? Where? Why? Better yet, ask Why not?

I have three awesome children, all with unique personalities and pure hearts. David is 26, Greg is 21, and Jaclyn is 19. The phone isn’t ringing off the wall, work and school schedules no longer conflict with the kids activities, my weekends and holidays are not consumed with tournaments, I rarely get the “But mom, why not?”. I'm not complaining about the mother biz, those are the best days of my life. On the other days, when I couldn't squeeze anymore out of me, I had nothing more to give. What about all those times when "wishing" the day would come that my life was mine? I say, be careful what you wish for. That day arrived a year ago, there is no turning back. The kids are grown and self sufficient, they don't need or depend on me. At times I wonder, did they need me or did I need them? Maybe a little bit of shared need. I was a child (19) when I had my first child. I believe David and I raised each other so to speak-for the first few years of his life anyway. I’m a mother, forever changed. The next milestone in “mothering” will be when my first grandchild enters my life (not anytime soon, I hope). I believe my kids learned enough by seeing my young motherhood struggles to put off having children until they are older (I can hope).

Now when I look in the mirror, I see my adulthood staring back at me. Remember the personal ads, back in the days before online dating? DWFSS-Divorced White Female Seeks Self, it fits me. At a glance I think finally I get to do whatever I want, whenever I want, and I don’t have to answer to anyone. In my first 45 this was not the case. I begin to wonder, am I being selfish? How do I learn to think of myself first and focus on my goals, dreams and passions that I set aside? I have no regrets. I loved all my years of raising my kids, some more than others. I am not without my faults and poor choices. I say parenting is a work in progress for me. I was much too young to have had a child (I had no idea what to do), let alone how to do it right. We as parents do not have all the answers, we can’t wipe away all the tears and hurts, we can’t protect them from all evil forces. We guide our kids and give them wings, so they can fly. It is our duty to set them free. I thought raising a child was difficult, try setting them free. I think it’s toughest to let the last one go. Although my kids would say it’s because I love Jaclyn more or because she’s the “girl” I always wanted. It’s not the case, it was difficult letting each one of my kids use their own set of wings to fly.

I turned another corner a few short months ago when my daughter Jaclyn sent me a text, "Mom, I got my deployment orders, I'm going to Afganistan". Naturally I had mixed emotions. I knew she was prepared to go, she looks forward to being deployed. I expected to get the news one day. I thought I was better prepared. In the moments following the text, reality set in. Flash backs of her childhood flooded my thoughts. Suddenly, overwhelming feelings of fear drained my body. Much like the feelings I had when my oldest son David shipped out while serving in the Navy, when this war began. Somehow “under the sea” and “on the battle ground” played in my head like a game of table tennis. Jaclyn is 19 years old and proudly serving our country in the Army National Guard. I'm extremely proud of my kids’ service to our country and their willingness to sacrifice themselves to protect, defend and honor our country in such a selfless way. However, I can’t control when the mom factor kicks in, my protective wings come out and I get a bit over protective. Yes, I’ve been called the “helicopter” mom (I hovered) I was all up in my kids business. Like I said, I made some parenting mistakes. I set myself up good for this fork in my road (heart).

I have no clear idea of where my NaPinch blog will take me, or you the reader, it feels much like the fork I face today. I believe we will travel and cross a variety of paths during my discovery. I needed a vehicle to drive, blogging fits me. I have varied interests and I’m full of adventure. I enjoy trying new things and sharing ideas, from kitchen gadgets, recipes, hole in the wall diners, travel destinations, electronics, software, you name it, and I’ll try it and blog. My readers’ feedback and questions will also drive my blog. Feel free to comment and or email me, I’ll do my best to respond as quickly as possible by email or post.

Over the years I’ve heard I should write, share my stories and my recipes, that I express myself well (although a bit wordy for some), overall I have been encouraged and enlightened by my personal walks in my first 45, I look forward to taking this new found journey of blogging.

One of my favorite things to do is to read and collect cookbooks. I recently gifted many of my cookbooks to friends and family, keeping far too many. I started purchasing local cookbooks when traveling several years ago. I plan to share a recipe from my cookbooks along with links on where you can pick up a copy of the cookbook to add to your collection (if you like). I’ve thrown ingredients together and added NaPinch of this or that spice… I’ll share those recipes as well.

My NaPinch blog name derived from my passion for cooking and baking primarily. Add NaPinch of spice. NaPinch I substitute ingredients or find alternatives to recreate a recipe to suit my taste. NaPinch is fitting in my career as an Executive Assistant (when someone is “N-a-bind” they call on me – it translates to NaPinch). So, I’ll share everyday practical information as well. If you are NaPinch or have a question feel free to email me, I’ll do my best to assist in any way possible.

May the journey begin… all aboard, right this way, please follow me!

If you feel your blog might be of interest to me, let me know, I’ll check it out.