Didn’t see that one coming!
I’ve been nominated for a few blog awards in the last few weeks and I’ve let them slide for a handful of reasons:
- Because I still can’t believe people are reading my blog. When I started this thing it was going to be my outlet and the way to get myself through this, but I never really thought too many people would be all that interested in my journey. Sure, I figured I’d snag a few infertile's here and there (because we are a group that likes to commiserate!) but I was never prepared for the outpouring of warmth and sweetness from total strangers. I still forward the comments that give me goose bumps to my dad! Still… I write far too much by all blogging standards, and I touch on subjects that most people probably don’t care to know about. I just never expected much to come out of this; let alone the friendships I have formed. So, getting nominated for (and accepting) a blogger award feels… weird. Maybe even a little awkward. I don’t know; that’s the best way I can explain it.
- I have too much to say (clearly) and couldn’t bare giving up venting space to accept an award… what if I had something really pertinent to say that day?
- Most of these awards are accompanied by a series of questions you are supposed to answer about yourself, and I don’t do well with things like that. It feels too constrained, and I find myself wanting to bust out of the mold and type profanities… Not normal. Part of this has to do with the fact that I can’t look at a questionnaire now without thinking about all the medical questionnaires I’ve had to fill out in the last year (all the ones where I have had to hack through my “partners” information… Sometimes I just want to put something really witty there, like “Prince Charming has yet to appear… Think someone from the nursing staff could set me up on a date with sperm donor number 136 who supposedly looks 80% like Ben Affleck? If we could make that happen, I'd be happy to put him here!”) I know it’s silly, but questionnaires make me cringe now.
First, the ladies who sent so much sweetness my way:
Yoga Savy with “Live Laugh Breathe Yoga” nominated me for a happy101 award. Her blog reminds me to breathe when I often forget. She is on an incredible journey of travel right now, and leads a life focused on peace that I am often envious of. I kind of love her because she thinks my blog is “happy”, which makes me smile, because I think it is too, but… I know there are some naysayers out there who would call it angry. You just don’t get me, but Yoga does!
Donora over at "Pinklets" nominated me for a Best Blog Award. This girl was one of the first “strangers” to comment on my blog, and her words were so kind and heartfelt that I was literally crying reading them. Since then, she has become the person I look the most forward to hearing from when I post something new, and I LOVE reading about her ambition to become a counselor since that was, at one point, my dream as well. She is good, and kind, and warm, and I never thought I could grow to adore a “stranger” as much as I adore her. I’m pretty sure she’s my blogging BFF!
Robin at "Lolidots" nominated me for a Beautiful Blogger Award…. Yeah, OK, I’ll take that! ;) I mean, I am getting hairier from the Lupron, and I did just start buttoning my pants again, so if someone wants to call me beautiful... I’ll take it! Seriously though, this girl is a RIOT, and I love hearing her thoughts/views/opinions on just about anything. I think she is just so well spoken, and not afraid at all to go against the grain (which I so admire). She’s pretty much a rock star in my eyes… I want to be just like her
OK, so the next set of rules for most of these things is that you are supposed to nominate a few bloggers as well. Well, I’m not going to do that, for so many reasons:
- I am so new to blogger land, that I would nominate the same blogs over and over again!
- I would have no idea who to give what.
- By picking someone, I am invariably leaving someone out, and as the girl last picked for every single sport her entire life (I lack coordination and that whole hand eye thing), I hate the idea of that. But, there is also no way I can list everyone I read.
- I really just wanted to make another list!
But, what I will do is give you a brief list of some of the blogs I follow with religiosity (not counting the women above, who are all some of my favorites!) This is by no means all encompassing, just the first few that came to my mind and are worth checking out!
- Laura from "Blogging From Bolivia" takes the most incredible pictures. They make my heart skip a beat when I look at them, and I now want to go to Bolivia.
- AKD at "Little Footprints". Her daughter Madeline was born premature at 21 weeks on July 7, 2009. She now navigates the minefield that is feeling that loss, combined with the hope, anticipation, and fear that go along with finding herself pregnant again. I admire her courage, and even more her ability to say exactly what she's feeling, even when those feelings aren't so pretty.
- Mama M. at "My Little Life". This lady is just so real, and such a great writer, that her tales of her day always put a smile of my face. Plus, she has the most adorable little ones!
- j at "Smile Laugh of Die". She’s a preschool teacher… enough said. Her tales from the trenches regularly have me peeing my pants with laughter! She is going to be the most amazing mother when her time comes!
- Mel at "Stirrup Queens". Every infertile has heard of this site (and if you haven’t; head there NOW!) and the wealth of information and kinship there is incredible. I still haven’t been able to weed my way through all of it, but… it feels like home.
- Kim at "The A.R.T. of Baby Making" I’m a new follower of this one, but I LOVE her style (she incorporates photos so much better than I do! Actually, she has the whole "blog design" thing down so much better than I do... OK, all these ladies do. I'm a juvenile when it comes to the visual aspects of blogging!) She often says exactly what I am feeling, and she and her husband are preparing for their first trip down IUI lane right now. I can’t wait to see her photo of her BFP plastered across my screen.
So my friends, there you go! That’s the best I can do, sorry for being so late and breaking all the rules! Maybe you’ll think twice before giving me an award again! ;)
