You are Making me Smile!

Some very sweet people have been making me smile lately!  (you know, beside my kids, who while they make me smile, they don’t always act real sweet, nor do they appreciate me very often!)

Sarah @ Flying Kites sent me The Mom of the Year Award!!  You have to take a look at that! And pass it on!!  It made me smile so big this morning!!

Mimi @ He & Me + 3, e-mailed me a few days ago asking for my mailing address.  Last night, I went to the mail box and her package was in there.  How awesome is this!?!

 

She said that she saw them in the dollar bins at Target and had to get them for me!  WHAT A SWEET FRIEND!!!  Be Blessed Mimi, 10 times over, for your thoughtfulness to me!

Last Week, Cindy @ My Kids My Why, awarded me the Attitude of Gratitude Award!

Knowing that “gratitude” is not coming so easily for me these days, it was quite an honor to have her see that in me.  Thank you Cindy.

Amanda let me know recently that my blog has been nominated for an Awesome Blogs 2009 Award!  She challenged me to come over and see what category I had been nominated in.  I confess, I looked through quite a few until I found the one.  Awesomest Parenting Blog.  Hum… Not really feeling deserving of that one either.  But, I guess there will be voting on May 11, so yeah… do what you will with that.

Melissa @ Home is Where your story begins crowned me with This Queen of ALLL things Awe-Summm Award!

I am to list 7 things that make me Awe-Summm and then pass the award on to 7 bloggers I love. Make sure to tag the recipients and let them know they have won! Also link back to the Queen that tagged me.

I was thinking that it may be good for my self esteem right now to come up with 7 Awe-Summm things about myself… then I started having thoughts along the line of… well, it’s pretty Awesome that I haven’t killed any of my children, or that I haven’t ended up insane yet.  But, I figured that wasn’t very appropriate… so, I guess I’ll have to come up with others…

#1 despite me, my ex husband, and all our mistakes, our children are growing up to be pretty awesome people!

#2 I have only forgotten to pick up a child from an activity a handful of times in my life!

#3 I have really AWE-SUMMM parents, family, and friend support!!  REALLY AWE-SUMMM!!

#4 I have a really, really, REALLY AWE-SUMMM GOD!  Who continues to walk through this life with me, even though I am consistently questioning Him!

#5 I’ve learned not to expect quite so much perfection from myself, my house, my kids… most days!

#6 ummmm…. running out of ideas… I can cook a mean meal, if I am so inclined!

#7 I can remove a stain from just about any piece of clothing, in a single, double, or triple, washing!  :)

I give up!  Lets move the attention on to these AWE-SUMM bloggers… who have become great friends to me, leave me comments, pray for me, twitter with me… and I’d love to meet one day face to face!!

Bonnie @ Where did this all come from

Carol @ Joy in the Journey

Jodi @ They are only little for a little while

Lori @ My Livin' Part of Life

Mimi @ He & Me + 3

mommaof4wife2r @ A Thorn Among Roses

Sarah @ Flying Kites

Gayle @ The White House

Carrie @ Martin Manor Happenings

Girl Child @ Ahh Ooooommmmm

Pam D @ Life by the Creek

Paula @ His Ways are not Our Ways

Sheryl @ The Perch

Kelly (who’s blog link i can’t find!)

Of course there are my real life friends, who don't have a blog… who deserve this AWE-SUMMMM award… like Lora, Megan, Kim, Patrice, Rachel, Twila, Tina, Marlene, Shari, Julie, Rachelle, Terisa, Amy, Lisa, Joni, Deb, Lanae, Carla, Rhonda, Mary, Judy, June, Holly, Tammie, Bekah,… and more that I am sure I missed… who have not given up on me in this whole trial…

That’s more than 7 you say?  Well… I didn’t say I was an AWE-SUMMM counter!!

Thanks for giving me a reason to smile today!!!

Pam

Lemonade out of Lemons…

My friend Keyona, who has the same name as my daughter, only spelled differently!  Hers is spelled like we say it… Our Kiahna is spelled how we found it, and fell in love with it, in a Karen Kingsbury novel I was reading while we were driving to Arkansas to meet her birth-mom. 

Anyway… This Keyona has a blog called not the norm, and she gave me an award tonight!  And since I am so awful at remembering to accept awards… I decided I would jump right on this one tonight! 

This award means that she thinks that my blog has just the right amount of lemon and sugar to make a perfect summer treat!!  And who couldn’t use a summer treat about now… in January…in the mid-west… (and I don’t even want to hear from you people living in warm climates… I will speak to you in May… maybe…;)

ahem…

I also saw someone else get this award tonight in my reading… this same award was given  someone who is showing gratitude or a good attitude ("if life hands you lemons, make lemonade") within their life or blog.

I think that is the avenue I am going to take when I think of who to give these awards out to… Hope that is okay Keyona!  Although sipping Lemonade… that may have to slip in too!

So, I am to give this to 10 blogs, and they are to link back to me and then pass it on to 10 more! 

1. Stacey @ anymommy out there.. who I am sure is sipping plenty of lemonade these days, seeing she and her troops are spending the winter months in the Tropics… while their house sits back here covered in 5 foot of snow!  It’s okay though… don’t hate her yet… go see what she is dealing with along with her perfect weather!  See I’m still talking to ya Stacey, I’m not bitter that you have it warm and I have it cold… nope not a bit!
2. The Riggs Family.  These are some amazing people… talk about making lemonade.  They have adopted three children and one is in treatment for leukemia… Abby.  They are an inspiration and a blessing to pray for.
3. Amy @ Building the Blocks definitely gets this award… I’ve had Amy’s blog in my box for awhile, but just started reading it… you have got to go over and see what that family is up to!!  They just adopted 4 siblings, making their family 11 children!  They are beautiful people!  Even though you can’t see the faces of their new kids yet!  And I am loving how creative they are with taking pictures without faces in them! 
4. Tonia @ Growing up loving the curls God gave them has become another good friend through our blogs… we have many of the same issues in our lives, find ourselves amazed at our similarities… and of course we are both trying to make our way in the world of hair!!
5. Danyele @ A Thorn Among Roses… With whom I have big, imaginary plans to meet in person and eat lots of chocolate and drink lots of coffee one day soon!  Of course she is an adoptive mom too!  I just love the network that the internet creates for us moms!
6. Of course MckMamma @ My Charming Kids no one makes lemonade out of lemons better than this girl… of course she must get about 100 awards a day, and I’m sure won’t be headed over here to accept!  LOL!
7. And these last three will go to the three I already linked today… but when you are walking out divorce and searching out God’s heart along with me… yeah… that’s lemonade sister… Paula @ His Ways... Are Not Our Ways.  She is just a sweet gal… always giving me something to think about, that one!!
8. Sheryl @ The Perch walking it out… seeing the miracles… believing for physical healing and healing of her marriage….
9. Linda @ Stalked by God do you want to read some beautiful writing from a beautiful heart… go to Linda’s blog.
10. Yeah, and guess who can’t count… me!  The last one goes too… shesh… I can’t decide… how about this one… she just found me today… we had our blogs designed by the same great ladies… Jen @ Home... Hands Full, Hearts Full, Quiver Full go check out her clan, and her beautiful blog design!

There I did it!  10!!  Whoo hoo!! Yeah me!!  My deepest apologies to all of you who have given me awards and I promptly forgot them and never linked you… I know you are out there… I just can’t for the life of me remember who you are!

Pam

Love to my bloggy friends...

I am feeling just a tad guilty.  I wish I had the time to visit everyone's blogs in my "followers" box... and present awards to each one.  I really wanted to... does that count?  I am sure if you are a blogger you understand how much time that would take.  To do all the links?  To read all the posts.  As much as I want to.  I can't keep up!! 

So, this post is going out to all of you in my follower's list.  I am amazed that you want to hear what little 'ole me would say about anything!  And I am blessed beyond measure by your comments!  Thankyousomuch!!

I am sure you all already know this... because I am sure you are all just as addicted to MckMamma, and her little children, Big Mac, MckNugget, Small Fry, and MckMuffin... as I am.  But she is raising funds for some incredible organizations by selling raffle tickets for a prize package that is absolutely incredible!!!  The Rebel Without for a Cause raffle is going on now!  Check it out!

I must confess. I am seriously thinking of selling my camera on e-bay and getting myself one of these!  Whoo!  Where were you last year when I was camera shopping!  I am so wanting one of these for Christmas!!!  I am sure all of my children would understand perfectly if I just explained to them that Mommy is the only one getting a Christmas present this year... here have a candy cane.  Yeah.  Sounds like a plan I could live with.

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I had a really awesome experience last week (was that just last week?)  Listen to this... one of the guys I graduated high school with is married to one of my blogging friends!  A friend sent me their update e-mail a while back.  I e-mailed them.  They e-mailed back. They started reading my blog.  Then I encouraged his wife to start her own blog. She did!  We have become fast blogging friends!  From ENGLAND!!  Last week they came here to visit family (read all about it on Carol's Blog).  One of the things they wanted to do while they were here in Indiana visiting for a short time, was meet me in person!!  Isn't that cool!!

We had a wonderful breakfast at Richard's, Shawn, Carol, and I!  No kids!!  Oh, and thanks again for breakfast!  Now, go over to Carol's blog and read about their amazing opportunity to live in England for a few years... and tell her and I how young and beautiful we both are!!  Grab that Honest Blogger award Carol!

The internet is just wonderful!  (sometimes!!)

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A special shout-out to to some of my new blogging friends... mommato4wife2r I've been blessed by our similarities... and the fact that she has survived what I am enduring.  Oh, and that she is just as weird and honest as I am!  So, I bestow the Weird, Honest... and yes the scribbler awards to her!  Yes, all three.  She deserves them.  Go check out her blog and see why!

My fellow sojourner (loving spell check again). Cheryl, over at "The Perch" has blessed me lately.  Her and I are walking out very similar paths.  We have been spending some time chatting online, and it is an encouragement to me to have someone in the same shoes to walk with.  Prayers and blessings on you Cheryl and your family.  Go ahead and take the Honest and... whatever that "P" word was that was really cool and I still can't spell... awards.

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Like I said, I wish there was time to link to all your blogs!  And pass out all the awards... you all deserve them!  How about this!?!  Leave me a comment telling me which award you can relate to the most, and I will give you that award!  Sound like a plan!?!  Oh, and if you can't figure out what in the world that "P" word is, maybe we should come up with an award "I flunked vocabulary in the 6th grade" and I could give myself that and you could join me!  Anyway, is is a cool award and it has a neat meaning, and a beautiful picture to go with it!  ;)

Pam

And the award goes to... ME!!

I've been a very busy blogger lately... one of the things that I have just had to cut out of my schedule is time spent on my computer!  Visiting blogs and writing on my own blog...

But, some very sweet ladies have blessed me with some awesome awards!  And this post is to accept these awards and let you know who is out there being so kind to me!!

I have been given the Superior Scribbler Award by Lori at My Livin' Part of Life.  Lori is a great commenter, she is also a HUGE country music fan!  She is always posting songs she likes... she has some beautiful Christmas music playing on her blog these days... worth the trip over to hear!!  Thank you Lori!  (I am going to steal it!!)

But, I believe she got me confused with my children... they are the superior scribblers...

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Oh dear me... this award is called... the Weirdness Award... gee there is not a picture to go with this award... perhaps I will use this one...

Yes, that works... Stacy who writes over at 4evermom gave me this fabulously, weird award... and my instructions are to write seven weird things about myself... um.  Can't do it.  Nothing weird ever happens around here. And we are all perfectly normal people.  Yup.  That's right.  Normal.

 

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From Weirdness to words I can't even pronounce!!  (I AM NOT WEIRD!)

The Proximidade award is given to me by, Lori, of I'm No Super Mom.  I love her blog title, don't you? 

These are the qualifications of this award...

This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships!

*These blogs are exceedingly charming.
*These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends.
*They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement.

Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly written text into the body of their award.

I am amazed by that honor!  High qualifications!  Thanks!

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The next award is the Honest Blog Award... you know me.. honest... except for that Monday post thing.. not so much...

Katarina at Rambunctious Joy! gave me this wonderful award!  I am supposed to say 10 honest things about me...

1.  I had a horrible time spelling rambuntious, rabuntious, rambunctious. 

2.  This award came at the perfect time.  I was considering telling you all the truth about me.  This reminded me that I needed to keep some things secret.

3.  I am totally jealous of Katrina's pictures on her blog!

4.  I am having a horrible time spelling jeleous, jelaous, jealous too. 

5.  I love spell check.

6. I have spent all afternoon (after a trip to Wal-Mart, and a nap) catching up on my blog. 

7.  I am still not caught up.

8.  I'll never be caught up.

9.  I am weird.

10.  I am honest.

11.  I still don't know what Proximade, proximidade is... nor can I spell it.

12.  I just broke the rules... again.

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I know there were more awards... I know they were awhile back.  I know I am a poor award receiver/giver.  (but, hey, I'm honest and weird about it, and some other word, that I still don't know about!... and my kids... they are great scribblers...  yeah...)  So, if I missed your award, you probably quit reading my blog, because I was so rude... I'd love to make it up to you!  Leave me a comment telling me how you gave me this award long ago, and I completely ignored you... (I am good at that, just ask my kids who are being ignored as I type and they trash my house...)

Thank you everyone! 

Pam

Playing more tag… can I count this as exercise??

I think (if I didn’t miss one) I have been tagged three times in the past week!  I wanted to type a post to recognize that and play along… but ya know, life has been a little overwhelming this week!

The first award came from Bonnie @ Where did this all come from and from Rebekah @ Diagonally Parked in a Parallel Universe.  They both gave me this award.

Creative isn’t something that I consider when I think of myself… I can create in my head… but what comes out in my hands never looks like it looked in my mind!  I don’t scrapbook, sew, paint, or anything else that I would categorize as creative!  But, then this award is Kreativ with a “K”.. so maybe that is different!!

The instructions with this award are to list 6 things that I love and then pass it on to 6 more lovely bloggers…

oh, this is too easy…

 

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Another blog award came this week from my new friend MiMi @ He & Me + 3. 

The instructions with this blog, before passing it along to 5 blogging friends…

Answer these questions…

1. Do you have the same friends since childhood?  I am still close to a few of the girls I went to high school with.  We try to do things together a few times a year. 

2. What do you value most about your friends? They don’t get tired of listening to me.  (At least I don’t think they do!) 

3. Are your friends your sounding boards? Absolutely!

4. What is your favorite activity to share with your friends? Coffee, Food, Bible Study, Walks, long talks on the phone. 

I think I am going to give these awards this way… The first award, Kreative Blogger, to 5 new friends I have made recently, and the second, Friendship, to people I’ve known a long time… (oh, and I’m gonna try to find different people than I gave awards to last time!)

Sooooo…. Kreative Blogger Award goes to…

1. Elaine @ Matters of the Heart 
2. Tonia @ Growing up Loving the Curls God Gave them
3. Alicia @ Experiencing Each Moment
4. Becoming Me
5. Vanessa @ Rain on my Windowpane & LynnDavid Handbags  (who truly is a creative blogger, i mean she really makes things!  And who also by the way does not fit the category I put her in because I could call her a life long friend, even though she is many years younger than me!  Oh, and on her personal blog, you can see pictures of her brother James who is friends with my son James and they play for the same football team!)

This second award, with those steamy cups of coffee goes to these people, who have become my long time (months!) internet friend, and who I would love to sit down with a REAL cup of coffee and chat the day away with!

1. Michelle @ Where Laughter Lives
2. Carol @ Joy in the Journey
3. Laurel @ I'm "Ghana" Adopt
4. Dia @ Team Sawyer
5. Stacey @ Is There Any Mommy Out There

I’d love to give these awards to all the ladies I tagged last week too!  Oh, and some of you would qualify for both awards!

Happy Blog Award Day!

Pam