Pats on the back. For me?!?!

This week I have been lucky enough to receive my first two blog awards. I am very excited. It's probably also a measure of my self-esteem that it's taken me this long to acknowledge them. You remember that awkward feeling in middle school where someone said something nice about you and your waited for everyone to laugh? Yeah, sadly, still feeling it.

Anyway, thank you so much to T with Honey for awarding me the I *heart* your blog award. T is an awesome blogger and to have her recognize little old me was an amazing feeling. You know how personal my blog is and to have someone tell you they've fallen in love with your blog is just the best. Thank you. The rules of the award are, of course, to pass it on. Therefore, I am passing it on to some of my favorite blogs. Here are some of the blogs that I have discovered that I love to visit:

1. I started this post before Monica gave me the Kick Ass Blogger Award. She was at the top of my I *heart* your blog list. I see someone beat me to it and already awarded it to her, but I wanted to put her on my list too. Her blog is awesome. It's about a loving mom doing the best she can to raise her three kids under extraordinary circumstances--living in Thailand and single parenting it (geographically) much of the time. Check it out.
Transplanting Me
2. Seeking Sanity Kathryn has such a wonderful way with words. I love reading about her life with her three boys. Just when I could dislike her for being way too perfect, she lets you in and shows she struggles with the same things we all do.
3. You're Gonna Miss This Pam's a single mom of 6 kids with an incredible faith in God. Her blog chronicles her journey to create a new life for herself and her kids when her life took an unexpected turn.
4. Pinwheels Jennifer is the author of one of my favorite books, Roadmap to Holland, chronicling her journey through her son Avery's first two years of life as she came to terms with his diagnosis of Down Syndrome.
5. Life with Hannah and Lily There's something so heart-wrenching about Rach's blog chronicling her life with her girls. Sadly now the story of life after the horrible loss of her wonderful daughter Hannah. She always keeps me grounded and helps me remember how precious what I have really is.
6. Bring the Rain I honestly feel God brought me to this blog. On the surface it's the story of Angela sharing the story of her beautiful daughter Audrey Caroline, who was born April 7, 2008. Unfortunately, Audrey had problems that made it not possible for her to live more than a few hours past her birth. Something is speaking to me about her faith and the way she expresses it as she writes about her journey through being pregnant with Audrey and the new reality afterward.


As I said, it's been a bountiful week, and Monica at transplanting me has also graced me with a blog award, the Kick Ass Blogger Award. Monica made me cry when she referred to me as one of the best moms ever. Obviously, I'm not really confident with that description, as I told her I'm just grateful if I can get through each day not feeling like I'm leading the worst mom ever category, but it's always nice when someone you admire tells you they think you're a good mom. I also get to pass this one on, so I'm awarding it to some of my favorite blogs.

1. Michelle at Big Blueberry Eyes Michelle's a great mom and I love reading about her life with her husband, about to be deployed; their daughter Kayla who's just started kindergarten and has Down Syndrome; and their new son Lucas.
2. Jill at The Perlman Update Jill is a terrific mom I can really relate to at the same time when I can't relate to her life at all! She's a super-woman expat married to a state department employee, living in India and raising their two girls.
3. Anglophile Football Fanatic I love her style, I definitely relate to her shopping habits, and I think there's a book in there a la The Nanny Diaries or Devil Wears Prada as she chronicles her life with her rocket scientist hubby and their boy, Knute.
4. Kristi at Interrupted Wanderlust Kristi's expecting twins in November, and has a 2 year old Isabella. She's a great (and professional) writer and I always love reading what she's writing about, whether it's life at home or some thought provoking post about a social issue.
5. Bek at Frog and Toad Are Still Friends Bek fascinates me. I think she lives the life I imagined when I was a little girl. She has three kids, a loving hubby and a definite way with words.
6. Last, but not least, T with Honey. Not a payback, I love reading her blog and chuckling or commiserating along with her about life as a devoted mom doing the best she can living her life with Honey and raising Princess.

Thank you again, you both made my week.