When I started my blog eight years ago, I approached it with the vision of having a little spot to record my memories for our children to read and keep.
Having left the Amish a few years prior, I wanted our children to still have a clear picture of what their heritage was, and I tackled the task day by day sharing the memories I had of my childhood, growing up, getting married, and what led us to eventually leave the Amish.
Along the way I made many blogging friends who enjoyed popping in to journey along memory lane with me.
Yesterday I opened my blog and noticed there are hundreds of missing posts. Upon closer investigation it appears every post I had labeled as Amish, is gone.
I'll admit I felt violated and upset, and debated quitting my blog entirely, but after some thought I have decided not to give up that easily.
To rewrite everything looks like a monumental task at the moment. Thankfully the first few years I always printed out each month's worth of blog posts just in case something were to happen with my blog and I lose everything, so that will help.
Plans are to once again start at the beginning and share the story of a shy but happy, little Amish girl and the journey that brought her to where she is today. Still happy, but no longer Amish.
Wow! How could that happen? I look forward to reading your posts from the beginning.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'll ever understand everything technology related, or how or why someone would want to get into a blog that does not belong to them.
DeleteHope you'll enjoy the posts. :)
Were the posts censored by Blogger? What happened?
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping my password is solid and uncrackable now. Don't need anyone getting into my blog deleting things or lifting them for their own.
DeleteOh MaryAnn, I am appalled. I have enjoyed your story so much. I wish you courage!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your well wishes!
DeleteMary Ann, I just found and read your whole blog through this year. It was very well written and informative. After reading it I purchased the first three Lily books for my daughter. I'm so sorry all your posts about being Amish were deleted. However, I'm glad to hear that you are going to redo them. I can't wait to read your new posts:-) Thank you for all your hard work.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! Glad to hear you had enjoyed all my posts. It will take some time getting them all written up again. The silver lining in all this is that I'll be able to tuck in a few more memories in chronological order that I had missed the first time. So it's not all bad, I guess. :)
DeleteI've never commented before so I don't know if this will go through... I'm so sorry that your posts were deleted. How awful! Definitely a violation and I feel horrible for you. I've read all your posts and have enjoyed them. I'm not a blogger and don't really understand how it all works as I am very inept with technology. Don't get discouraged! Keep up with the blog!
ReplyDeleteAmy Lynne
Thanks for your well wishes! I'll try to stay positive. :)
DeleteHow awful! You and I have been blog-friends for such a long time, and I go back to some of your A to Z post from time to time. I know how upset I'd be if this happened to me, so consider yourself hugged, and have a cup of tea with me!
ReplyDeleteAww ... thanks, I'll enjoy that virtual cup of tea with you. :)
DeleteI have really enjoyed your blog friendship over the years!
That is unbelievable, and I cannot imagine how it could happen. So sorry, and maybe there is hope to get them back?
ReplyDeleteIt looks like I'll be starting from scratch on the memory/Amish posts. I'm really glad most of my other things are still there. Hopefully nothing else will disappear. Guess I have to start updating my password more often.
DeleteI recently found your post ad while sorry for the invasion of privacy I will enjoy reading about your journey.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI am so terribly sorry.
ReplyDeleteI deleted 600 emails one day by hitting the wrong button, and I can't explain it, they showed back up....sounds like worse is going on here.
I'm not the kind to sit down and read and catch up from the beginning so this will give me and others a chance to "kind of start from the beginning" although I know that you would rather not. So Sorry :(
That must have been a sickening feeling, accidently deleting 600 emails. Glad they showed back up for you!
DeleteI am sorry to hear this -- but glad you are moving forward :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteNow this seems very odd and very deliberate. It could happen again, which is a direct violation of your privacy. I hope you find a solution. So many mean people are showing up in our world.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem odd and deliberate, doesn't it. Hopefully my new and improved password will keep unwanted activity away.
DeleteOh, I'm so sorry to hear about this. Earlier this year I went back and read through every post you had ever posted about your Amish life and found them fascinating. I pray that it won't be too much trouble to eventually rewrite them.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping so as well ... glad you had enjoyed going back and reading through my posts while they were still there.
DeleteHi..Thanks for visiting my blog. YOu asked how I would finish off my muffins...
ReplyDeleteI would use the glaze found here..
http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/tsr-version-of-starbucks-pumpkin-scones-by-todd-wilbur-214051
Sounds yummy!
DeleteI recently discovered your blog have enjoyed reading through all your posts - from the very beginning. I have been blessed by your journey - both past and present - and how God has led in your life. I've laughed, I've cried, I've been encouraged and truly blessed. Since I just started reading a few weeks ago and wanted to start from the beginning, I was only up to 2013 - June or July I think. I got online on Sat. night to read a couple of your posts and things were fine. Then I clicked on a post (must have had an "Amish" label) and the blog went to a page that looked just like your page and there was a message that said "This post has been removed. Please enjoy one of my other posts" or something like that. I went back to the archive list to see what post I had clicked on that had been removed, but it wasn't there. Didn't think anything of it until reading your new post today. Just letting you know this so that it may help you pin down when it happened. I'm so sorry this happened to you.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it must be discouraging, but I like that you are thinking of re-posting and adding more memories. Don't let the devil discourage you from sharing good things - the Bible says the devil is out to steal, kill an destroy. I've always thought this was in regards to people, but I suppose it fits for your blog too. Don't give up! We all need a bright spot in our days and your blog fills that space. As a side note, I'm so glad I found your Lily books - I plan to buy them for my granddaughter for Christmas. I know she will enjoy them immensely. Keep counting your blessings!
I'm glad you had been enjoying my past posts, and thanks for letting me know approximately when things disappeared.
DeleteI hope your granddaughter will enjoy the Lily books!
Oh I am so very sorry. I read from the beginning when I first found your blog quite awhile ago,(as in years ago), so although I don't think I missed any, it is a shame others don't have that opportunity just because someone had a mean spirited heart for some reason. I pray you will find out how to restore the posts so others will benefit from your wealth of knowledge.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Betsy
I'll try to rewrite all the deleted posts. It will take a while because there were hundreds, but I'll do my best.
DeleteI recently found your blog -- like in the last two weeks -- and have been reading through all the posts from the beginning, to "catch up", so to speak. I so enjoyed all the writing, you have a beautiful way of stringing words together to create an image in my mind. I realised yesterday that the amish posts were gone, and it made me sad -- I was up to you and Josh going to school and the "Herself the Elf" lunch box. I am sorry this happened, and I am so happy that you will be writing them again =)
ReplyDeleteI'm sad too. Starting tomorrow I'll try to share several memory posts per week until I get them all reposted. Hopefully I'll be able to tuck some additional memories in there as well that I missed the first time around. (Trying to look on the bright side here.)
DeleteI am not on blogs very much, but from time to time I certainly have enjoyed and appreciated yours. It has been so helpful to get to understand our Amish neighbors' culture and beliefs, as we moved into an Amish area three years ago.
ReplyDeleteSo thank you for undertaking an unexpected and enormous task of redoing.
I am so glad you see it as a positive challenge, as all challenges should be seen. I look forward to the new posts!
Thank you! Hope you'll enjoy taking this journey with me once again.
DeleteHi, I really enjoyed your Amish posts. I think I have something that might help. There's a website on the internet called the way back machine. It take photos of your site and stores it online. I was able to see some of your Amish posts by clicking the tags in this link.
ReplyDeletehttps://web.archive.org/web/20170714201405/http://ajoyfulchaos.blogspot.com/search/label/Ten
I hope this helps!!
Thank you!
DeleteI checked it out, and while they don't have nearly all my deleted posts, they do have some so that was helpful.
My husband said to check with the hosting company, they sometimes have back-ups.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip.
DeleteI enjoy all of your posts, especially the Amish ones.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry this happened. I hope they are retrievable.
It looks like I will have to rewrite/repost each one individually.
DeleteTerrible! I would have missed your blog so much and I'm so grateful you are going to keep up. You have a whole virtual community that supports you and loves your work. I don't know a thing about blogging but I wonder if the person managing the site can retrieve your posts. If not, we all look forward to rereading your memories. Did I mention how glad I am you are going to keep writing ! ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you! It's encouraging to know I have readers/friends who will be sticking with me as I repost the memory posts.
DeleteI am so glad you are not giving up! I look forward to rereading them.
ReplyDeleteThank-you. Hope you'll enjoy them ... again. :)
DeleteI first encountered your blog after reading something on the Amish365 site, although I don't think it was called that then. I posted replies as Linda from KY. I had fun catching up to your earlier posts and reading about your current life and your life as a little Amish girl. I'm so sorry that your earlier posts are now gone. I will pray that as your printed blog posts run out that God will give you the right words to continue retelling your story. I'm looking forward to reading it again. Now you know my real name. I'm still from KY (life-long resident, in fact).
ReplyDeleteHi Linda from KY :) It's nice to "meet" you. I've always enjoyed the comments you've left on my blog. Thanks for your prayers for my rewrite. Appreciate it a lot.
DeleteI'm sad that I have just now found your blog and I'm so sorry to hear you had so many posts deleted! Surely sounds as though someone did not want you to share your story, praying for you that the LORD helps you get thru this rough spot and help you to rewrite your memories!
ReplyDeleteThank you! And thanks for your prayers.
DeleteOh no! I've just found your blog this morning, and was reading back in your first year, and then jumped ahead to this year. I wondered where the posts about your upbringing were :( I'm so sorry. I don't understand how someone else (besides Google) could even DO that, and I don't understand why Google would do it, unless someone complained about your blog? Ugh. Well, I commend you for sticking with it, and starting again. I will read faithfully. I am interested because I do admire much that I've seen about the Amish, and I feel there is much they see in life that is correct, and that we would do well to consider, if not follow exactly. Right now I'm handwriting out all my poems I've put on my blog, because I don't have them anywhere, and I'm a little worried that if Google decided to erase my blog -- I'd lose them.
ReplyDeleteI think it is a good idea to have things backed up. I know I'll be printing out my posts at the end of every month again. Wish I had never stopped that.
DeleteOh, Mary Ann! We have been on vacation and I managed to read a couple of posts that sounded familiar... Now I understand and am so incredibly sad! No clue why someone would do this or how they were able to. I am enjoying reading your posts, again, though... smiling my way through. You really were a happy, little Amish girl! What a treasure for you to give to your children! Thank you for sharing with us, too!
ReplyDelete