Welcome to my home. It’s one I have spent time, blood, sweat, tears, and years building and perfecting. I have constructed it on my very own with thought and attention to detail. It’s four walls are different for everyone entering it… a tablet, a laptop, a phone. This home sweet blog is one I take pride in and something that I not only love, but also helps provide for my family. It, along with the “bonus rooms” of social media, is an extension of myself, my family, and my desire to help others that are on a similar path in life. So as you come into my home, please leave your internet shoes at my virtual door.
When you come to my home, you may be a neighbor, a long-time friend, or someone that I met in passing and we sparked interesting enough conversation for you to want to know more. But all of you will find the same two little signs hanging in the window. One sign that says “Excuse the mess, I am busy enjoying motherhood” and another that says “Please remove your shoes”.
All of you will enter to see my attempts to be a good mom. My attempts to keep things clean and orderly. And my attempts to “be perfect” as if I had a whole crew of nannies, chefs, and housekeepers helping me every step of the way.
You may walk in a see carpet you don’t prefer, design elements that aren’t your style, and maybe even a cross on the wall that is not something you believe in. But to me, it’s home. I have delicately crafted it to be what it is, even through imperfections.
So just like I may invite you into my home, I graciously invite you to read and comment on my blog. You may be a fellow blogger, a long-time follower, or someone who saw a post on social media in passing. I hope you find two little signs in my virtual blog window that read “Excuse the typos, I am busy enjoying motherhood and blogging with one hand” and “Please remove your virtual shoes”.
All of you will enter my blog and see the attempts at being a good mom, but also my shortcomings. My attempts to keep things up to date and relevant. And my attempts to “be perfect” as if I had a whole crew of managers, contributors, and editors helping me every step of the way.
You may look around my blog and see parenting styles you don’t prefer, fashion that’s not your style, and maybe even religious content that’s not something you believe in. But to me, it’s my blog and a journal to my girls. I have delicately crafted it to be what it is, even through imperfections.
So when you have something nasty to say, when you take what’s in my home as a personal attack to who you are, or when anything I do somehow upsets you …it’s ok to say something and have open, honest discourse. However, please remember, I invited you here and I would love for you to stay… but leave your virtual shoes at the door.
Shoes are nasty little things. They walk on everyone’s worst. Dirt. Discarded gum. Pet refuse. Pesticides. Spit. Germs. Stickers. Toilet paper. Yeah, you name the nasty and annoying and it’s probably there.
And we all have it. We all carry that baggage. So just like shoes are a part of the life we live so are the emotions we experience, the bad days, and the negative feelings. They are a part of the life we live, but they carry so much nastiness. So I know you may have had a rough day and you “walked in dog poop”. But just as if you were entering my home, I will always kindly ask you to leave those on the front porch. Unconstructive negativity, bashing, name-calling, hatefulness, and more are so unnecessary and uncalled for and I don’t need it in my home.
You see, I write because I love it. It not only is a living resume for me, but it’s a living journal for my girls when they get older. It’s also a way for me to connect with other moms and help them in their own journeys. Each day as I sit down to write, I find myself speaking not only to my fellow mother, but to the future mother that my daughters will be and for the dear women in my life that have come to me seeking help. When I tell a story, I want it to be real and not sugar coated. And when I share something silly, I want to share it with the same sacastic humor I would in real life. And when I share experiences, I want to share what worked for me even if it isn’t the perfect solution for you. On social media, I want to talk about current events or anything I think sparks conversation and celebrate our diversity.
In the end, I am thankful for you… every one of you. I am thankful for the stilettos, loafers, slippers, chucks, and boots all sitting outside my virtual blog door. I appreciate the viewpoints and experiences that each person and parent has and prefer to know where each shoe stands without having to see or clean up the bottom.

Kara is an author and advocate for positive, grace-filled parenting. She is homeschooler to her 5 children living on a farm in New England. She believes in creative educational approaches to help kids dive deeper into a rich learning experience and has her degree in Secondary Education & Adolescent Childhood Development. She is passionate about connecting with and helping other parents on their journey to raise awesome kids!

Jenae
Wow, Kara! This is wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing and for the reminder to “speak” kindly in someone else’s internet home! 🙂
Kara Carrero
Thanks Jenae! I think there have been too many grumpy pants people lately. Politeness is a fading art in our society, but it’s something many of us expect but don’t as freely give.
Nicolette Roux
well said. Thank you for this. AND those signs are cute! 😀
Kara Carrero
Thanks 🙂
Kate
This is beautifully written and I absolutely love your analogies. For all of us who blog, along aside our many other roles and responsibilities and with our own beliefs and values in hand, thank you for posting this.
Kara Carrero
You are welcome! It’s a message I hope many hear because as bloggers, we do what we love and it helps others, but sometimes we are so under appreciated in many ways 🙁