This is for me. And you. Maybe.

I've been thinking about starting this blog for a while. My own mental health struggles have started to seep over in to my kids/homeschooling/parenting blog. I want to try to keep these two kinds of musings separate or it might just end up sounding like I can't handle my kids or my family or my life or my dogs. All of which is true. Sometimes.

They are not separate things, though. Bipolar Disorder effects every aspect of my life from how capable I am of making dinner on any given day to whether or not I'm able to poop. (Thanks drug side effects.)

Writing about this part of my life feels important. Making it public feels like rebellion. I am living with mental illness. Putting that out there shouldn't feel any more uncomfortable than saying "I am living with diabetes." Except it does, mostly because I don't instantly hear "mental illness" in Wilford Brimley's voice and also because people don't generally make shit like this public.

Well some people do talk about mental illness. Mostly people with an actual platform to make actual change. Jarad Padalecki. Jenny Lawson. Wil Wheaton. Brooke Shields. Demi Lovato. Some of my dear friends speak openly in groups of friends about their struggles or post about it on social media.

There is a chance that this little blog might help someone. It could help someone find the courage to open up to a friend, partner, or parent about not feeling quite right. It could start them on a path to seeking help and getting treatment.

I hope that, if nothing else, this blog leaves someone feeling a little less alone in their brokenness.

So, here's me. Here are my guts and my brains and all the other goo that makes me up. Be gentle.

(This post took me almost a week to write. Because children. Also- this might come as a shock- I'm kind of a train wreck about 70% of the time so don't be surprised if posts come in weird bursts.)

**Insert witty and memorable sign off here**