My Big, Fat, Cuban Family is 8 Years Old

I sat down at my computer 8 years ago today and started crafting my very first blog post. I wasn't quite sure exactly who I was writing for, but I tentatively introduced myself and my family to cyber-space.

I crossed my fingers and hoped that maybe somehow, some way, someone out there would read the stories about my extraordinarily ordinary life and maybe enjoy what I had to say.

I was homeschooling both Lucy and Jonathan at the time and started over sharing about what our days were like. I reminisced about my childhood in Cuba. I posted photos. I told my tales of growing up Cuban and wondered if they were just going out into the ether.

I decided early on to write to please myself. Not trying to sound self-serving here, but writing about my life and the things I care about is a very personal and vulnerable process. Also, I have a tendency to crack myself up, but that's not important right now.

To date I've written over 1400 posts and have had almost 2 million visitors. (GUAT?) Obviously, someone out there has indeed found me (or they just keep forgetting to write down my picadillo recipe).

And oh-so-much has happened in my life these past 8 years. I'm so glad to have had a place to document the little things and the Very Big Ones. And I'm grateful to all of you for following along. This has been such a cathartic experience for me. Would you believe me if I told you that at first I was very much afraid? (Obviously, I'm over it now.)

My family has been truly amazing these past years for putting up with me as their lives have been so publicly showcased, without a word of complaint. And of course, you know that I now have a grandson, so the over sharing will very likely reach stratospheric levels. Be prepared.

Please join me today as I celebrate 8 Years in the Blogosphere. (<--is that a word?)

There are times I do better at self-disclosure than others. There are times when my real life gets so busy that my cyber-life has to take a back seat. But I have always enjoyed the process of sitting down to the empty page and hoping what I have to over share amuses, entertains, enriches, inspires, or just makes you think.

I'm grateful to those of you who have been faithful readers for these many years. I'm delighted to have found an audience, who, like me, are lovers-of-all-things-Cuban or you're just my friends and are gracious enough to read my stuff. Thanks, guys!

I hope to be over sharing (si Dios quiere) for many more years.

Hey! According to Dictionary.com, "blogosphere" is totally a word. So there's that.

Here's a quick photo recap of the cyber-celebrations of previous years. Also, I really want you to appreciate the whole I-made-a-custom-magazine-cover thing I do every year.

October 1, 2007 - Thank YOU.

October 1, 2008 - In my dreams...

October 1, 2009 - ... is a Magic Number

October 1, 2010 - Cada Dia Con Marta Maria

October 1, 2011 - Five.

October 1, 2012 - Celebrating Six Years in the Blogosphere

October 1, 2013 - Seven Years.

Last year I even managed to create a celebratory video. And, okay, so I didn't do one this year, but I totally wanted to. (Shut up. I know.)

And because I can't just celebrate and not give you anything (I think that's a Cuban thing), in celebration of my 8 years here in this space, I'd like to do a few giveaways in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

Today, I'd like to do a giveaway for 3 (three!) of my Comida Cubana (Cuban Food) Posters. I have one hanging in my kitchen and it makes me super happy (and super motivated to cook) every single day.

It's a beautiful 16x20 poster with all of my favorite Cuban foods, suitable for framing. Fabulous, no?

To enter the drawing for a chance to win one of three Comida Cubana Posters, please leave a comment on this post and answer the following question: