So, the exciting news is…..
*sound of trumpeters….um….trumpeting*
Today marks the one year anniversary of this here little blog!!! Crazy, yeah? A whole year of me out here spouting my nonsense, and you all showing up to read it. Oh, by the way, THANKS FOR SHOWING UP TO READ IT!!! 
There are several takes that I’ve seen on a one year anniversary post. Some bloggers do a “best posts of the last year” kinda thing. Others do a contest for those commenting. Still others do some type of donation commemorating the grand event. I think I’ll do a combo, starting with….
Kerri, then and now…
A year ago, I was on the computer about once a week to check my e-mail. I would, once a week, have about 3-4 actual e-mail messages of substance (that doesn’t include forwards from you-know-who-you-all-are).
Now…I’m on the computer all of the time. Yeah, all of the time. If I don’t respond to your e-mail right away, it’s not because I haven’t checked my e-mail, it’s because I got distracted in the other 30-50 e-mail messages I get a day (a few of which are still forwards from you-know-who-you-all-are).
A year ago, I did nothing that actually brought funds into the house.
Now…I’m currently writing on two blogs with b5media (and wrote on another one for a while as well) that have helped us to pay off our credit cards and continue to live within our means. That feels fantastic.
A year ago, I wouldn’t have believed that you could really start and develop true friendships with people you’ve never met in person and have mostly only seen in a square-inch avatar.
Now…I know what “avatar” means.
I also have made a ton of friends (I won’t even pretend like I can link to you all without leaving someone out! I hate it when other people don’t do the links, but most of you know by now how paranoid I am of offending, so, just know that I’m thinking of you, and you…and, yes, you. As for you? Well….). I really have made some friends on-line in this past year whose relationships I treasure, whose advice I seek, whose company I crave, whose words and thoughts I anticipate, whose gifts I value, and whose humor I wouldn’t want to live without. Thanks to each of you who have enriched my life with new ways of thinking, new authors, new music, new foods, and your time. I love you all for it.
I’m sure there’s more, but this post is getting a bit long now, yeah? 
So, on to the contest. Leave a comment from now until the end of the month, and I’ll randomly choose one of you to receive either a box of Esther Price Chocolates (a hometown company, we live just a mile or less from the factory…yum…) OR an Amazon gift certificate with a value of, oh, about 15 bucks. I’ll let you pick if you win. But you have to comment in order to be in the running, so get to it.
Donation, $1 to World Vision for every 1000 pageviews for both May and June. Which means I need to post more often. But come visit often so have to part with my moolah!
Thanks for hanging out with me here. I appreciate each one of you (even those of you who haven’t told me that you’re there, yet).
since i am commenting first I should win. Since i am your best friend i should win. Since I have some embarassing pictures of you (and at least one of your mom) I should win. Since I have read every post I should win. Don’t you think I should win?
Jack: As if I’ve ever withheld either chocolate or books from you. Plus, you get to be my best friend…isn’t that prize enough?
But this would be WINNING a tangible prize. I want to be a winner!!
But you’re always a winner in my book.
(Did that make you gag? 
)
“I’m a winner. Things are gonna change. I can feel it.”
Now, go get crazy with the cheese whiz, you two.
I am all about more American candy over here!
Congrats on your year of blogging Kerri! I honestly can’t remember how long I’ve been going for now… Nearly four years on and off I think, although my oldest blog has since been washed away in the tides of time.
Actually, I was pissed off one afternoon and deleted the entire thing, one pissy depressed entry after another.
I can has cndy?
Bald Man: We have Cheese Whiz?!?! You’ve been holding out on me!
I forget you’re a cat person. The T-Rex one was hilarious. btw-It seems it’s now a fight b/w you and Jackie for the candy. I think she can take ya….she likes candy.
Jonic: Did you ever try the Reese’s Cups? I can’t remember if you said. You? Pissed off and doing something rash in the moment? Sounds totally unlike the Jonic I’ve come to know and love.
I am holding out for Amazon.com. I heart Amazon.com.
Congrats you writing fool, you! I read for a peek into the strange and wondrous world of people with small children. And because you are funny.
Sheila: Amazon is cool, yeah? And I can’t imagine that you guys need any more chocolate hanging around, what with all those m&ms that you got!!! Are those still around?
I’m so glad that you do come read about our strange and wondrous world! Thanks for saying I’m funny. 
Dang it, I had anticipated that you would be giving the prize for MOST comments over the year. I’ve wasted so much of my time…
I’m so glad that you have done this. It might be a sad reflection of myself, but I look forward to each post by you and get all depressed if there isn’t a feed waiting when I check my mail. I need you Kerri!! Look how far I’ve come in this last year. I even learned to spell your name.
I’ll now return to my normal non-intrusive stalking…
Rantz: Hmmm….maybe that’ll be my contest for next year.
Feel free to gush over me anytime. I can handle it. 
Seriously, though, thanks for coming out here and reading and commenting. It’s good for me. 
And maybe, just maybe, we can all get together in person more than once a year seeing as how we’re not all that far away. Though, I guess I do get to look forward to seeing you June 10th! 
Oh, and post on your own blog more than once a quarter. I’m checking my feedreader, too, you know!
I spend too much time connenting on your blog to write my own. Oh, the sacrifices I make for you.
Rantz: Well, as long as you’re connecting somewhere, I suppose that’s what matters. Though, I suspect that you will soon have lots of hours up in the middle of the night in which you could hypothetically write. Sleep-deprived Rantz thoughts, that’s gotta be some good fodder for a blog, I’d think.
I really don’t think there is any other kind of Rantz toughts anymore. I don’t get much sleep anymore. Can’t imagine that it can get much worse.
A world without Rantz thoughts? Don’t think I want to live there. You can’t go into new daddyhood sounding like you are. You need a pick me up! Let Bald Man or me know when we can have you guys over. Seriously.
No no no… What I meant was that all Rantz thoughts are sleep deprived thoughts. I don’t sleep. It’s nothing new. I’ve been this way for a long time. I think it may be because I don’t dream (or remember them) and therefor it seems like wasted time. Anyway, we do need to get together, but I am not in need of a pick me up. Although if you want to give me one, does Baldy have to know.
Sorry… Couldn’t resist… Bad Rantz! Bad! Thou shall not hit on the wife of thy friend! Sorry…
Yeah, what you said! Shame on you.
And, yes, he would have to know, if there was anything to know, which there isn’t, nor will there be, and so…there. 
But, yeah, still need to have you and your lovely bride who is gracious enough to carry your offspring over sometime. 
I have the 10th free. How about then?
Umm….I’m pretty sure you’re booked that day.
Oh yeah…. Well, I’ll keep checking. Seems every night I have some childbirth class or something going on. We’ll make it.
How did I miss this? I mean, missing a chocolate contest? Me!
How?
Anyway, I am leaving this comment to jack up the page views for WV. I can’t believe it’s only been a year. I feel like I’ve known you forever…even though we’ve never actually met.
Kate: Mmmm….chocolate….
I know! It’s only been a year, we’ve never met in person, yet I’m quite sure I know you better than half of the neighbors I’ve been saying “Hi” to and waving at for 7 years. 