Lemonade Award

The Lemonade Award.

What a nice surprise to find I had an award (my first!) waiting for me over at my friend's blog! (That was so nice of you Tatersmama!) How wonderful to have a friend you've never met! One who lives in the other hemisphere and says 'chesterfield' instead of 'sofa.' But, who bares her soul and makes you laugh and cry as she takes you along on her journey of life. Who also helps you navigate the technical mysteries of blogland and sends e-mails of encouragement and appreciation when you need it most. A friend who doesn't judge you, but let's you be who you really are and accepts you anyway. A friend who gives you such glowing compliments that you don't recognize yourself and look behind you to find the person she must really be talking about. Thank you, Tatersmama. You are a real gem and if you hadn't already just received this award, you'd be the first to receive it from me!

Now I'm supposed to pass this on to 10 people whose blogs show great Gratitude and/or Attitude. So, in alphabetical order here are the blogs I've picked for the Lemonade Award:

1. A Handful of Life written by a young mother of 5 beautiful kids, who comes from a large family herself, who's not afraid to tell it like she sees it and who's also very talented and creative.

2. Bridget Beaver (dot) com written by a college graduate from Pennsylvania who writes most interesting and insightful posts about being a homestay student in Japan.

3. Gizzards and Calf Fries written by a Texas gal who writes about ranch life and says a lot in a few words (wish I had her talent!), who posts neat pictures and whose blog I find every bit as entertaining as PW! (I really mean that!)

4. It's my crazy life and I love it written by a sister to blogger #1 who's also not afraid to be honest and real in her posts, and who also beautified my blog's background and taught me a few other tricks about blogging. (Thanks Trish!)

5. Knit By God's Hand written by a gal from Indiana whose blog I've just started to read and whose gratitude and view of God is similar to mine.

6. Nees Nuttiness written by a mother of ten (!) whose humor keeps me laughing, who is a genuinely caring person (you can tell from her comments on others' blogs), and who is so organized it puts me to shame! Plus I like listening to her music every time I visit her blog. (I've gotta learn how to add music!)

7. Right From Left written by a California man who clearly has a keen sense of world events and politics! I may not understand or agree with everything he says, but I find his take on most of it refreshing! I'm not sure that men are 'into' awards, but he deserves one anyway for his brave candidness.

8. Robynn's Ravings written by a California gal who's a real wordsmith and writes not only a humorous/fun blog to read, but she also writes the wittiest, and kindest comments on other's blogs. Not only am I a fan of her writings, I also enjoy the spiritual insights she includes.

9. What's Next written by another sister to #'s 1 and 4. She hasn't written a lot, but ever so often she writes a post that is so poignant, it blows you away!

10. Yes, They Are All Mine written by my good friend, Gramma 2 Many, who is my inspiration for starting my own blog. She's not afraid to speak her mind, but oh, does she have a heart of gold(!) and a real passion for helping the most deserving refugees in Africa. She's also the mother of #'s 1, 4 and 9 above, and I do enjoy the banter between them when they comment on each other's blogs. Gramma 2 Many has 3 more grown children and 19 grandchildren! A unique numbering system helps all of us keep straight who belongs to whom.

OK, I think you all know what to do with your awards, but if you don't, go here. Tatersmama's directions are so easy to follow!

Blessings to All of You!

Love,

Homestay Mama