Can you believe it? I know I certainly can’t!!! But somehow or other, this blog has officially been around for 5 years!

Sometimes it doesn’t feel like it’s been that long. I still remember why I started this blog. I have a lot of thoughts in my head, and this is a productive way for them to get out of my head.

In addition, I remember asking some friends if they would read my blog if I wrote one. Would anyone actually care about what I had to say?

Well it turns out that they did. In the five years this blog has existed, it has been viewed over 5000 times, by people on 6 continents (not Antarctica). Battle Kim of the Republic has been read in over 70 countries.

I cannot tell you how humbled I am by those statistics. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you all so much! You have made this possible. I probably wouldn’t be here, and this blog may not exist, if it wasn’t for you.

Both this blog and I have changed a lot over these five years. I’ve gone from a college student to a licensed teacher. I’ve grown, changed, adapted, and improved. I’m continually learning so I can be a better teacher. I teach to continually learn how to be a better student.

I love the stories I tell here. I love the lessons I have learned, am learning, and will learn. I love this place where I can share those in the hopes that someone else will benefit. I never want to force anyone to read my blog. It’s always a choice, and that will always be the case.

In truth, this blog started with books. That was my first post, and I just wanted to share my story if anyone else wanted to read it. But my love of books themselves has instilled a love of words that these five years have proven and shaped. I love and enjoy writing, even on the days when it is hard for the words to come out.

I’m still just amazed and blown away by this blog being five years old. I don’t know what the future holds, but I do plan to make some updates.

I genuinely cannot thank you enough. If you’re new to my blog, welcome! I’m so glad you’re here. It’s nice to have you. If you’ve been here for all five years, thank you for your continued support, even if you don’t leave anything really to show for it. And if you came somewhere along the way, I’m just as grateful for you as well. While this blog has always been for me, this is also for you.

I feel like I should have more things to say to celebrate 5 years. But I’m truly humbled, grateful, and overwhelmed by the amount of support and encouragement I’ve seen on this blog. This is incredible to me and I cannot say thank you enough. Here’s to whatever the future may hold!