This is my 100th post in I Prefer My Puns Intended. I have to give a sincere thank you to all who have supported me over the last five months in this writing venture. It has been a blessing to re-connect with old friends and connect with new friends during this new journey of motherhood. I cannot tell you how much it means when I hear, “I read your blog every day,” or “you encouraged me so much with,” or “I cannot tell you how needed that post was,” or anything along those lines. I couldn’t keep going without the support from all of you: seriously.

Now that the mushiness is out of the way, here are 100 things I’ve learned in 100 posts:

100. I won’t get very many people reading this post because 100 things is far too many things to read.

99. Words of affirmation can be more valuable than a paycheck.

98. My son is adorable (I’m not sure I learned that from my blog, but whatever…)

97. Setting aside a time to write every day makes sure I write every day.

96. I miss my job a lot, but I love that I get to keep writing about it.

95. My students were really the reason I loved my job.

94….and my co-workers.

93. Keep positive people in your life and you will stay positive.

92. Turn a deaf ear to negativity and you will remain positive.

91. Writing with an infant on your lap is really difficult…but possible.

90. Cleaning is the easiest route to inspiration.

89. Other bloggers keep you accountable. I’ve loved connecting with Skinny Latte Mommy, The Blonder Side of Life, The Brown Girl with the Long Hair, 2 Groovy Moms, Working Mom Magic, The Newly , Elizabeth Robertson Williams, and Motherhood and Merlot. There are far more, but these women were so encouraging and helpful in my first few months!

88. Blogging can be a way to keep in touch with those you love the most that you can’t see every day. (I’m looking at you, Leisa Scoggins :))

87. Pictures make people want to click to read.

86. That’s why I’ll have a picture at the end of this post.

85. Big businesses can really help you feel like you matter.

84. That’s why Family Christian Bookstores has been a big part in me feeling like I’m not writing and throwing my work in the trash.

83. Reading and reviewing books is a lot of fun.

82. I guess that’s why I chose to teach English 🙂

81. Despite pressing pause on my career, it doesn’t mean that I cannot still teach, inspire, and help people to grow through my language.

80. Writing will probably help me communicate better with my students when I return to the classroom.

79. At least, that’s what I hope.

78. Sometimes, when you write truth, people aren’t going to like what you have to say.

77. That doesn’t mean that your truth should be brash. Deliver truth with tact and class.

76. The veil of honesty doesn’t mean you get to say whatever it is you want to say however you want to say it.

75. When my son cries and I still have 74 more things to write, it breaks my heart.

74. I’ll be right back.

73. Pacifiers really do the trick.

72. 100 things is a lot.

71. I should have picked 10.

70. Maybe pacifiers don’t work every time.

69. Be right back.

68. I am thankful to be where I am in the season of life that I’m in.

67. Every time I write a post that encourages moms/people about staying content, I struggle with it the next day….and then I re-read my words.

66. The fact that I feel like I write a letter to my son every week makes me realize how short this time really is.

65. Being vulnerable is really scary.

64. Sometimes, I get anxiety when I post something very personal and I don’t get a lot of response.

63. When I don’t get any response at all, I have to pray my way through it and remember why I started writing in the first place.

62. It wasn’t so that I would get a response.

61. It was so that I could record my musings and perfect my writing.

60. I really don’t think I’ll be able to write forty more things.

59. Especially with a baby on my lap.

58. Here’s hoping.

57. There are a lot of things to consider when beginning a writing career.

56. I am very easily distracted.

55. I can’t wait to watch the dad and daughter dance to Shake it Off!!

54. Why was that dad wearing a horse head? Oh well.

53. Football doesn’t fit my blogging “niche,” but I wish it did.

52. Although I enjoyed writing about Chuck Pagano’s Sidelined.

51. Kate Conner is a really good writer.

50. I bet she could come up with fifty more things…

49. I wish this post would go viral.

48. We need more male teachers…and we need to keep the great female teachers too!

47. This post was the closest to viral I’ve gotten.

46. Readers really like pictures.

45. It makes me think that most of them scroll straight to the photos.

44. And that many people won’t see my type-o’s.

43. I usually go back and edit them anyway.

42. This really reminds me of when I tell my students to “free write.”

41. Maybe I should re-think that exercise.

40. My baby is crying in my face.

39. He wishes I picked 10 too.

38. Babies really like being bounced.

37. They don’t like when you stop bouncing them.

36. When you admit that you’re failing, people really want to read what you have to say.

35.But people are really quick to tell you that you’re doing a good job.

34. I don’t feel like it when I’m still typing and my babe is crying.

33. Noses are really tasty.

32. According to baby Bear that is.

31. Most of you have stopped reading what I’m writing.

30. I would have scrolled to #1 by now.

29. Can I really come up with 28 more things?

28. Helping other people grow their businesses is the fastest way to help you grow your own.

27. Monetizing a blog is so complicated.

26. Be sure to get a contract up front before taking any freelance job.

25. Other freelance writers are the most valuable resource when attempting to make money from this difficult career.

24. It really helps to have an incredibly supportive spouse.

23. I probably won’t ever attempt to write 100 lessons again.

22. Normally, I’d erase and re-start this post.

21. I’m already 1000+ words deep, so I’ll just finish.

20. Oh yeah, I always struggle with conversation in real life.

19. Most people have read my blog…and most people aren’t surprised by what is going on.

18. I struggle with the fine line of what is personal and what is too personal.

17. Odd as it may sound, I am super protective over what I write on here.

16. My family is the most important thing to me.

15. My mom was the first person to read my writing, and she is the first person to tell me that I’m doing a good job. I couldn’t keep writing without her.

14. My mother-in-law ‘likes’ all of my posts. It makes me feel great.

13. Sometimes I wonder who is reading my work, and other times I’m just glad someone is reading what I have to say.

12. My son is wearing “feed this bear” pajamas.

11. I got them because of the nickname I’ve given him for the purposes of this blog.

10. Most of you scrolled to this point…caught ya!

9. I started this blog because my husband decided to stay in town, and I was no longer a “Teaching Traveler’s wife.”

8. I look back on my TTW posts every now and again to remember what life was like before baby.

7. Looking through the fact that I’ve been able to write about 100 things, I realize how much my life has been enriched by our little bear.

6. Also, I love the fact that I get to see my husband every day.

5. Even though I have to make dinner every night, and we still haven’t had “cereal for dinner.”

4. Sometimes, the titles of my posts take longer to craft than the posts themselves.

3. Sometimes, I give up on trying to develop “punny titles.”

2. I am always thankful for new readers.

1. I am so blessed to have the support of all of you. And blessed that you scrolled through much of the silly nonsense in this post.