It struck me today that I started the blog 5 years ago. At that time, I was working full time, expecting Ella, and we had just accepted an offer to move to England. I started writing the blog as a way to keep friends and family updated on our adventures and how the kids were growing. As we only expected to be abroad 2 to 3 years I figured it would be a fun way to keep track of the experience. Now 5 years later we think of ourselves as expats, living within a community of expats, instead of an American family off on a temporary adventure. As time went on the blog became a way for me to share things about the kids but also an outlet for me to think through our experiences, a way to share my grief, and in some cases a soapbox. I have enjoyed writing it and find myself thinking of posts all the time, it’s just a matter of getting myself to sit down and write them. I also find myself posting less about the kids specifically.

One interesting thing from my perspective has been how the visitors to the blog have changed. While I can’t see who actually reads it I do see how many people visit and where they are from. In the beginning it was understandably a large number of what I assume were friends and family reading posts from the US. Over time I’ve found that there are less people who seem to read from the US and instead a variety of people from countries around the world where I don’t know anyone. Now I am in no way competing with the Huffington Post for clicks but it has been interesting to get comments from other expats around the world having similar experiences and comparing notes.

So now that it has been 5 years it seems like the natural time to move the blog off of my personal Facebook page. I’m sure there are many old co-workers or high school friends who won’t miss it from their newsfeed. Instead I started a wanderingbly Facebook page that I will update with any new posts if you want to keep following.

Thinking forward to the next 5 years I’m not sure if I hope the blog has a 10 year anniversary or not. I’m torn between hoping for 5 more years of experiences and dreading 5 more years of moving. Regardless, I’m sure it will be anything but boring.