It’s hard to believe 4 whole years have passed since I finally plucked up the courage to publish my very first blog post. In many ways, it feels like a totally different person sat down at the dining table that day to piece together the words that eventually made their way on to my computer screen.
I was pregnant with Jesse and yet to sit my finals at University. I wasn’t married, or even engaged, and, to be honest, I had no idea what I wanted to do beyond the realms of academia and caring for our new baby. Clearly, an awful lot has changed since then! If nothing else, Love Audrey serves as a fabulous record of what has turned out to be a particularly happy period of my life.
Blogging itself has evolved dramatically too. There were no pro-bloggers back then {at least none that I knew of} and no ads littering the pages of the blogs I read. With no grand plan for world domination, I can honestly say I wrote first and foremost because I wanted somewhere to put the words I had in my head.
The trouble with working for a hugely successful blog is that It has become far too easy for me to belittle what I’ve been doing here for the last 4 years. There’s no book deal and blogging doesn’t pay my bills. Brands aren’t queuing up to work with me and I don’t have stats in the hundreds and thousands. If these are the means by which a blogger must measure their success in 2013, then I am nothing but a failure.
But if I cast my mind back to those halcyon days of 2009, before I’d heard of google analytics or figured out the macro setting on my camera, I can see the only measure of success that mattered to me was whether blogging made me happy. It did then, and it does now. That’s enough for me, anything else is just a bonus.
If you’re at a loose end today, why not take a wander through a few old posts of mine. Make yourself a cuppa and enjoy these edited highlights…
The one with the weekends ~ I’ve been writing the ‘My weekend has mainly been spent…’ series for over 3 years. Not only do they serve as an incredible journal of our time spent together as a family, the process of writing them has also taught me to really appreciate the minutia of everyday life.
The one after we got married ~ Reading this transports me back to the morning of my wedding day, but it also reminds me just how excited I was to share it all with the people who had followed our journey to that moment through the countless updates I had published on Love Audrey.
The one that makes me laugh ~ Perhaps the only post I’ve ever written that’s potentially NSFW 😉
The one that makes me cry ~ It’s unlikely I’ll ever publish something as personal as this on these pages again, but I’m proud of this post and grateful for the catharsis it allowed me.
The one that Mr.LA loves ~ He hesitated to respond when I asked him if he had a favourite post, but Mr. LA finally settled on our proposal story. No doubt because it makes him look really, really good 😉
The one I re-read ~ I return to this post every year around this time. The words still bring me comfort, reminding me that, most of the time, everything turns out alright in the end.
The one with the muffins ~ If you’re new around these parts, you might not have seen the first recipe I ever published on Love Audrey and I simply cannot bear the thought of anyone missing out on the peanut buttery goodness of it.
The one with the music ~ I think I’m proudest of the posts that tell a story, and this tells six of them in quick succession.
The one with the dissertation ~ After months and months of blogging about my MA angst, I decided to share the final moments of my degree with you all, complete with dodgy fringe and rotten champagne.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading over the last 4 years.
Love Audrey xxx
And here’s to another four fabulous years!
I love your blog and you write so beautiful.
Be proud! xxx
Thank you lovely Emily, that really means a lot coming from you.
xxx
I for one I am very, very glad that Love Audrey is 4! For without my discovery of Love Audrey 4 years ago, I wouldn’t know of you, and that just don’t bear thinking about!
Along with your other loyal readers, I’ve travelled along the highs, lows and all that’s in between with you, through this blog, and despite the geographical distance between us it’s always allowed me to feel close to you, to know what’s happening in your life and to share in those important moments.
You’re a fantastic writer, and Love Audrey is a legacy that you should most definitely be proud to leave behind!
Happy 4th Birthday little Love Audrey! What a great thing you’ve grown to be!
Love you Franky xxx
Awww love you too Laura! Can’t imagine you not being in my life, so I’m very grateful that our blogs bought us together!
xxx
Congrats on writing such a lovely blog for such a long time!
I started in 2009 too.. back when things were a bit simpler and less competitive. There were no “blogging tips” or how to be a full time blogger. I kind of miss how it was back then. But I still write for me and that’s the main thing!
Going to have a nosy through the old posts now 🙂
Thank you Victoria. I have read your blog for years and years and always loved the way you write. Your blog is so honest and down-to-earth, a real joy to read. It means a lot that you take the time to leave comments in my corner of the internet, so thank you 🙂
xxx
Hi Franky
I found your blog about three years ago via a comment on London Makeup Girl’s blog. I am still so excited whenever I see a new post from you!
(Get ready for some gushing)
What I love about your blog is that it really is a window into your life. You’re not afraid to share the less fun parts along with the great recipes, the gorgeous clothes and wonderful family. You share what you would like to be, without making me feel like we live on different planets.
I’ve loved seeing your blog grow (even if I don’t comment nearly as often as I read!), so….keep up the good work! Happy birthday Love Audrey!
Oh my, you may have just won the prize for most wonderful comment ever!
Thank you for your kind words. Everything you’ve written is exactly what I want Love Audrey to be, so it’s incredibly reassuring to hear that that’s exactly how it comes across to at least one person that stops by on a regular basis!
I never seem to have enough time to comment on the blogs I love either, so I really appreciate you leaving your thoughts on this post 🙂
xxx
Thank you for sharing for 4 years!! Your blog is such a joy to read. Here’s to many more years of equally delightful posts. 🙂 Cheers!
Thank you lovely lady 🙂
xxx
Happy blogiversary my darling! I’ve learnt most things I know about beauty, cooking and child rearing from you, but most of all I’ve learnt to take joy in what we do, from writing to just noticing what’s around us. X
I’m still smiling at the thought that I could teach YOU anything 😉
Thank you dear lady. Love you long time.
xxx
What an achievement! Hoping you continue for at least another 4 years… if not for much longer! It’ll be amazing to be able to look back and see what was happening in your life, plus you write so eloquently too!
Keep it up!
Lauren x
Thank you so much Lauren. So excited to hear your baby news soon 🙂
xxx
I love this. Particularly “the only measure of success that mattered to me was whether blogging made me happy”- as far as I too am concerned, this is by far the most important thing. Keep up the amazing writing- I love your blog, and you are brilliant. xx
Thank you so much 🙂
I’ve just spent a little while reading through your blog, you write beautifully too! And you must be quite local if you were at the Devon County Show!
xxx
Wow Franky! Firstly congratulations on four successful years, and secondly wow- I’ve just lost an hour reading all your amazingly fantastic highlighted posts. As a relatively new reader, (I found you via LMD whilst wedding planning last year), I’d not ventured as far back as your wedding posts. Today, I have laughed, cried, felt broody, but most of all I have felt inspired by your achievements, both in your blog and as a mother and a scholar. I’m also new to blogging and am loving writing for a purpose other than work. Its reassuring to read your words here, as some days it’s easy to compare yourself with the HUGE blogs, even though I know it’s unrealistic! So I will keep plodding on, documenting the simple things that make me happy. I will also continue to look forward to reading many more of your honest, beautifully written posts.
Andrea xx
ps I hope you had a glass of {not mouldy}champagne to celebrate! xx
I mean preceding your wedding posts. Obviously I gobbled them up in my pre wedding frenzy! x
Oh Andrea, thank you so much for this wonderful comment. I adore your blog and share your passion for life’s simple things!
I really appreciate you taking the time to leave such kind words on this post.
xxx