Pampers and Paklava

Four reasons why I blog

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Seven years ago I started my blog as a way to chronicle our journey to parenthood. I also hoped my posts might encourage intrepid travelers to consider a trip to Armenia, an ancient, beautiful and fascinating country few know much about. There wasn’t any other agenda. I knew readers might agree, or disagree, with my decision to adopt, adopt internationally and adopt from Armenia.

world

But even though my destination was parenthood, I did–and still do–want to travel more. That’s why I was thrilled my blog would be hosted on Wanderlust and Lipstick. Maybe my blog would lead me to other like-minded people? Maybe those people would have connections? Maybe I would get to go places? That’s what I hoped.

Now that I have some experience under my belt, I can say with certainty, there are four reasons why I blog:

Accountability: There is something about having an audience that, for me, is a real motivator. I’ve always been impressed with people who faithfully journal, privately and independently, amassing volumes filled with thoughts about their daily lives. I am not one of those people. However, I am a meet deadlines sort of gal, and knowing I should publish at least once a week (ideally more) helps me get the lead out.

Visibility: Back to that audience. I admit it, my brain lights up in a thousand different ways when I see my writing and photography out there on the internet!  It feels good. Many of my photos, recipes and travel experiences will never see the light of day, but blogging gives me a chance to share some of it. I like sharing what I do with others, and I like the recognition.

Community: While we’re on sharing, there is something kinda wonderful about the online community. It is true, I’ve had my share of trolls and haters. They are an unfortunate reality of life on the Internet. But for the most part I’ve met really incredible people through blogging and have reconnected with others via social media.

Opportunity: Which brings me to opportunity. Blogging has introduced me to some amazing opportunities. Opportunities to meet people. Opportunities to showcase my love of writing and photography. And, yes, a few opportunities to travel and I want more of that!

My blog gets me going–in every way. How about you? Where do you want to go–literally and metaphorically?

It’s all about the journey,

Beth

My blogger identity crisis

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I’m wrestling with a blogger identity crisis. “Who am I?” and “What is my message?”

These questions weighed heavily on me as I created and launched my website. And I really struggled to choose a topic for this post, my first post about something other than “Welcome to my site.” My OWN WEBSITE. No pressure, right?

For me, blogging over the past seven years has been the perfect vehicle to package my love of writing, photography, food, travel, gardening, my family–little snippets of everything I hold dear. That said, I confess I feel envious of fellow bloggers who’ve defined their niche. They might be a professional photographer specializing in family photography, a travel blogger with a focus on solo travel for women, a mom blogger or a foodie blogger.

When friends ask me, “Have you considered becoming a professional photographer?” I’m not sure what to say because, yes, I think about that a lot, but as of yet haven’t taken steps to do anything about it. Others on my cheer squad have told me I have the skills to start a garden design business–should I want to. It is true I know a fair bit about plants and have a creative eye. I sure love to cook and there will be recipes on this site! And of course anyone who has–or will–read this blog knows I’m an adoptive mom to a little girl born in Armenia.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to toot my own horn (okay, maybe just a little), but what occurred to me as I wrote this post is that my blog is an extension of…well, me. And for now, that’s where Pampers and Paklava is at. At little bit of this and a little bit of that. Things and places and people I love.

I guess you could say this is my mid-life crisis blog. I’m figuring it out as I go along.

How about you? Have you ever tried to reinvent yourself?

It’s all about the journey,

Beth

The three of us Shepherds Weeone Photography

Thank you to Weeone Photography for the fabulous family photos!

Well hello there–Welcome to Pampers and Paklava!

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Thank you for checking out my first post on the NEW Pampers and Paklava! Look closely. Can you see me standing on my virtual ship, breaking a bottle of champagne over the bow, in honor of the ceremonial launch of my new website?

Seattle ferry

For nearly seven years, I was a blogger on Wanderlust and Lipstick, number 40 of top travel blogs in the world. I logged 665 posts during my stint as a Wanderblogger, alongside a community of amazingly talented women. And then the time came to bid adieu.

If you’ve followed me in the past, I’m thrilled to have you on board again! And if you’re a Pampers and Paklava newcomer, you’ll soon learn a few things about me, such as: I love photography, gardening, cooking and writing.

Travel ranks at the top of my “Things I’d like to do more of” list, but I don’t go on adventures as often as I might like because I’m Mama to a little girl who we adopted from an orphanage in Armenia when she was one-year-old. Of course raising a child is its own special kind of adventure and, along the way, I’ve learned…

It’s all about the journey,

Beth

Pampers and Pakhlava: 6th Anniversary!

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How did I manage to miss my blog anniversary?! Six years ago, I decided to BE BOLD and launched myself into the blogosphere with Pampers and Pakhlava. On April 13, 2009, in my first post, From here to there, I talked about the decision process my husband and I went through when we chose to pursue international adoption, from Armenia.

6 year blog anniversary

My second post, Where the heck is Armenia, tells the story of finding myself in Elliott Bay Book Company, trying to get my hands on a book about Armenia. I wanted to learn more about the country, its people and culture, but the salesperson had no clue where Armenia was.

Here I am six years later, still blogging and–lucky me–people are still reading. Lots of people, in fact, because my blog has consistently been one of the top five for traffic on Wanderlust and Lipstick, a hugely successful travel website. So a big shout out to my readers: Thank you!

Since those initial posts, I have traveled. Oh have I traveled, in the literal and metaphorical sense. I’ve now visited Armenia five times, along with trips to France, England, Netherlands, China, Tibet, Kauai, Colorado, Baja California. I love to travel and only wish I could do more.

And I’m a mom! When I started Pampers and Pakhlava, not only did I have a lot to learn about Armenia, I had a lot to learn about ‘pampers.’ Changing that first diaper, in a Yerevan apartment is an experience Big Papa and I will never forget.

Aside from travel and parenthood, two reasons I started my blog were to have the opportunity–and inspiration–to write more and take more photographs. This post is number 590! So a second shout out to Beth Whitman who believed in the power of my story and took a chance on me.

Happy Sixth Anniversary Pampers and Pakhlava!

May there be more stories and more photos to share. And may there be more travel!

If you want to read more about all things Pampers, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or RSS/email.

Take the road less traveled, Beth

400 posts–140,000 words

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Last Friday, I published my 400th Pampers and Pakhlava post (truth be told, my total post count is at 430, but two years ago, I made 30 posts private). Assuming an average of 350 words per post (many are longer, but I also have posts with photographs and few words), I have written over 140,000 words. The average novel is between 100,000 and 175,000 words. I have blogged the equivalent of a novel.

Pampers and Pakhlava post

Coincidentally, this November is NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month) where, beginning November 1, participants work towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 p.m. on November 30. Granted, I achieved my 140K word count over the course of 4-1/2 years (my first post was launched in April 2009), not one month. Nonetheless, I feel a certain sense of wonder when I see I’ve written that much.

Wanderlust and Lipstick website

Writing more was one of the goals I set for myself five years ago, although “more” was an easy accomplishment because, at that time, I wasn’t writing much at all. When I joined my fellow bloggers on the Wanderlust and Lipstick website, I hoped blogging–and the expectation to post twice weekly–would help make writing a habit. And it has.

Blogging has also inspired me to write more outside the blogosphere. I’ve compiled a small collection of short stories and, for a couple years, I participated in a writing group. I have ideas in my head about pieces I’d like to write and, like many writers, dreams of getting my writing published.

And while I can’t say for sure how long I’ll continue to blog, or predict whether I’ll ever publish a novel, a memoir, or a magazine article, one thing I am certain of is that I will keep on writing.

Take the road less traveled,

Beth

Pampers and Pakhlava turns four!

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“When I am writing, my problems become invisible, and I am the same person I always was. All is well. I am as I should be.”

~Roger Ebert

Four candles in a cupcake

Dear readers,

April has nearly come and gone without a post to celebrate the 4th anniversary of my blog. On April 13, 2009, Pampers and Pakhlava went live. Today’s post marks the 382nd time I’ve hit the “Publish” button. With an estimated average of 400 words per post, I’ve written over 152,800 words! When I started this blog, one of my personal goals was to write more. I am happy to report: writing has become a  habit.

I also wanted my blog to offer readers a peek into a tiny country, Armenia, located in the Caucasus region of the world, where Europe borders Asia. I admit I had a certain bias, because Armenia was the country where my husband and I hoped to adopt a child. Four years since Pampers and Pakhlava first appeared on the web, “Where is Armenia?” is one of the most consistently searched for key word phrases on Wanderlust and Lipstick , the website my blog calls home. Lucky me to be a blogger on one of the most heavily trafficked women’s travel sites that provides inspiration and information for and by women!

Of course, the “pampers” in my title refers to one of the biggest goals I’ve had in my life: become a mom. Getting there, however, did not play out–in any way, shape, or form–as I imagined it would. The journey began much later in life than I ever expected, took more years than I envisioned, and involved countless hurdles that were unforeseen. But get there I did–we did. With Big Papa by my side, and now with Baby Bird as our sidekick, we are a family!

Just like my blog bio says: “Some might fend off a mid-life crisis by leaving the comforts of their corporate salary to jet off to a deserted island. Others might buy a Jaguar. I’ve chosen to dive head-long into my 50s and beyond by becoming a first-time parent. I’ve traveled halfway around the world (several times) before adopting my daughter, and now I share my musings about life with a toddler in the Pacific Northwest.”

Admittedly, my path in life has been anything but predictable, smooth or on schedule. And while this has caused me a fair bit of angst, finding myself  on unexpected and unfamiliar terrain has also made me the person I am today. With every curve in the road comes a greater understanding of the world I live in, the people who share it with me, and–most importantly–myself.

Take the road less traveled,

Beth

Pampers turns one!

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Happy Birthday Pampers and Pakhlava! Today my blog turns one.

Pampers turns oneIt seems like just yesterday I was sitting in front of my computer screen, forefinger shaking as it hovered over the ‘publish’ button. I’d never written about something so personal in such a public venue. This was a big leap. I was full of nervous excitement, like a kindergartener on her first day of school.

What a difference a year makes. I’ve hit ‘publish’ countless times now (89 posts for Pampers and Pakhlava blog and 56 posts for the Urban Cabin). I still get a little nervous before I send my missives into the ether, but blogging has been a wonderfully rewarding experience.

I’ve met (both in-person and online) awesome people I might not have otherwise known and rekindled friendships from years gone by. My soul has been warmed by the heartfelt comments I’ve received from readers. Having a ‘community’ online and behind the scenes has made the difficult moments in our journey easier to bear.

And “what a long strange trip it’s been!” I’ve felt guilty at times that I blog on a women’s travel website, but all too rarely find myself outside the city limits. Yet my journey to become a mom has been, without question, the mother of all trips. It has taken me literally, figuratively, physically and emotionally to places I’d never imagined.

Last April when I published my first post, I wondered if I would find enough to write about, whether people would read my blog and, if so, what they would think about my musings. As it turns out, I never find myself short on words, it’s cathartic to give my thoughts solid ground, and hearing that some of my posts strike a chord with others is immensely satisfying.

Blogging about our adoption has helped me keep my sanity, through I-800 applications and updates, lost referrals, failed trips, and the sweet highs of hopeful expectations. For Big Papa and I our journey to adopt from Armenia has been the road less traveled. What lies around the next bend? I can hardly wait to find out and share it with all of you.

So thank you friends and family who faithfully read what I write. Thank you Beth W.: Wanderlust and Lipstick is a warm nest for my words. My heart swells with pride as I hit ‘publish’ today. ONE YEAR, Pampers and Pakhalva! Here’s to looking at you, kiddo.