Vote For Me (I’ve Got Pie!) – Gratituesday 9

It’s time for a little shout out to the Lord, so you know that it must be Gratituesday, where one can be vocally thankful for something in life.

I’m most grateful today for bloggy love. There are times when God uses one of you to say the thing I needed to hear or to do just the thing I needed done to feel that extra measure of support, friendship, understanding, encouragement and yes even discipline.

For the record, I don’t like the discipline one so much.

This post isn’t about the discipline one though. Woo hoo! This post is about the encouragement I’ve received of late. Susanne gave me notice yesterday that I was up for a bloggy award at An Island Place. What a joy to click over there to see me in the running with the likes of Scribbit or 5 Minutes for Mom!

Great, I’ve just scared myself because those ladies are in the BIG TIME.

Anyway, I found it funny at the timing because just this weekend, I was thinking about why I’m writing my blog. I’ve got all the reasons that most of you have, but was it enough for me? Comments have almost dwindled to nothing so it’s hard to know if many are reading. Am I just writing for myself or is all that in my mind? I don’t think the little green monster is in the way because I love reading others and seeing that they’ve got followings in the tens or hundreds.

It was after coming to the decision that I love the friendships that I’ve made through blogging and if I never have more than 10 comments again I would be okay that God sent Susanne to tell me about the poll. It was like the icing on the cake because do you know what category my blog is in?

“Most Likely To Succeed”

That just makes me giggle at the irony. It’s like is God saying, “Hey, I’m not done here and I know that you need a pat on the back once in a while to keep going, so here it is. Now get back to work.”

So I’m grateful today for the way that God uses you to help me, even when you don’t realize that you’re doing anything, and I’d be even more grateful if you went over and voted for me in the polls. My platform is good and there will be a delayed pie celebration at my house if I win. Just wait until we move to come on over. I’ll have that spare room ready and I’ll probably have found my pie plates by then…

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And God Humbles Me Yet Again…

Okay, I’ve got to be straight with you.  I’ve been feeling really down in the dumps lately, especially about blogging.   One of the things I love about this blogosphere is the camaraderie, the conversations that ensue from posts, the general feelings of being accepted among the internets.  But I’ve noticed a sharp decline in comments over the past few months.  Add to that the drop of Blogline subscribers.  It really made me wonder if I had offended half of blogland, and they just took their marbles and left without telling me.

Recently, Mr. Right asked about the blog and for the very first time in my blogging history, I said, “Anhh.”  And then I couldn’t look at him because I wanted to cry, and knowing him, he would not only let me, he would hold me and tell me that everything was going to be okay.  But I really didn’t care to look like a blotchy, big-nosed blowfish last night, so I just sat on the bed and pretended that everything was okay while I tried to figured out what to do and if I wanted to keep doing whatever it was I decided to do.

And then the next morning, God gave me some blessings that I didn’t see coming.   

Ashley at twenty six cats awarded me this heart-warmer and these sweet words.

Shalee’s Diner: She cracks me up. I’m especially enjoying her recent posts about life lessons. I will also forgive her for using Comic Sans on her blog.

Thanks for the forgiveness, Ashley.  I can always use a bit more of that in my life…  But mostly, thanks for letting me know that I still make someone smile.

In addition to the first award, Kim at The Bitter Ball passed a really nice award on to me along with kind words when I needed to hear them.  This was how she announced in the comments that she was giving me an award:  Although I don’t comment here often, I read your blog everyday. You have a way of making my day a little brighter. Stop by my blog if you get a chance… I passed an award on to you!  

That comment alone was like a balm to my soul and an award in and of itself.  And then, of course, I cried.  Hey, I just can’t not cry two days in a row when the feeling is there…  I gave in and enjoyed it, blotchy face and all.

Here’s what she gave me.

Shalee at Shalee’s Diner. She is just one of the sweetest ladies in the blogging world. Her kindness and love show in each and every post she writes. Reading her blog just makes you feel good! Check out her blog, it will leave you with a nice feeling and a smile.

Thank you, Ashley and Kim, for letting God use you to lift my spirits.  He knew just what I needed at just the right time.

And in addition to the wonderful awards, I’ve been blessed incredibly the last two days by Barb, Jeana and Chili.   When they each asked how I was doing, I was able to dump on them and they each in their own way comforted me.  These are the true, deep rewards to blogging: having friends across the miles.

Barb thanks for verifying that I’ve not offended anyone.  Your kind words set me at ease.

Jeana, thanks for honesty between us.  When you pointed out that I may be loosing readers due to my posting numerous posts I’ve not actually written, I hadn’t even considered that those posts would be a deterrent.  I was just posting some things that had spoken to me lately.  So I’ll get back to writing my own stuff and letting y’all into my “real life.”  (But I’ll still post things that speak to me.  I’ll just scatter them out a bit more.)

Chili, thanks for telling me to just get my funk on and get it out of the way.  I’m one of those “I shouldn’t even have a funk because my life is so good” people, so your advice gave me the freedom to accept my funk and then let it go.  I feel much better now, thank you very much.

I’m going to wait to spread the blog love.  This post is long enough and I want to focus on others properly when I do pass them on to various bloggers.  But if you’ve made it thus far, thanks and cheers to your wading through to the end.

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Vote, Bloggers! Vote!

Updated – I missed Chili’s site for Best Humor. Sorry Chili!

Did you know that several of our blogging friends are up for the Blogger’s Choice Awards?

You’ve got to get over there and start voting for them!!!

Best Blog About: Bloggingbasics101.com

Best Blog Design: Wouldashoulda.com and Everydaymommy.net/everyday-mommy

Best Blog of All Time: Antiquemommy.Typepad.com Come on! This is a GIVEN! Seriously I want to grow up to be just like her… in character and blogging savvy!

Best Entertainment Blog: Wouldashoulda.com

Best Humor Blog: Wouldashoulda.com and Boomama.net and Wouldashoulda.com

Best Religion Blog: Bread Crumbs

Mir: I see a theme going on here…

Although I am sadly missing from any of the categories (Hello! They offered Freakiest Blogger and Hottest Mommy Blogger! I should have made one of those at least…), get yourself over there and show those award people that when we come out to support our own, we go all the way Baby!

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Thinking Blogger Award

Peach, in a moment of sleep-deprived thinking, reached out and nominated me for the Thinking Blogger Award.

Ta da!

I told her that if she renamed it the the “What Were You Thinking Blogging Award”, then she might have a case for my earning this one. But alas, she is not to be deterred from the error of this nomination.

The participation rules are simple:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.
3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn’t fit your blog).

So in the spirit of honoring those who truly deserve this award, I am following the rules (for once) and paying it forward to some of those bloggers who really deserve this award. (Here is where you realize that the list is not complete and I’m really fretting over someone getting their feelings hurt if I don’t name them, but I’m just going to name them and step back and pray that y’all understand how hard this is, okay?)

Antique Mommy has a knack for making me value my time with my children while laughing at the absurdity involved with being a mom, a woman and a friend. Let me thank her now for adopting me and striving to lead me onto the path of righteousness. Good luck, honey. You’re going to need it…

GiBee is able to make me laugh at the trials of being a working mom (like me) and also brings the focus of God into the smack dab middle of everything that she does. Her prayers asking for God to use her in every experience brings a humility to my life and a hope to my heart. Thank you for having such a spirit of righteousness as an example for me.

Shayne, although she only posts once in a blue moon because she lets a little thing called work get in her way, can make me stand still with her words of wisdom and her finger pointing back to the One who started it all. Shayne, thanks for allowing God to speak through you and often touch my stubborn heart.

Will’s Eats, you get this award because you make me think about food in a whole new way. You bring practicality, yet fun back into the making of new meals and even though I’m not willing to try your European love for pigs’ feet or fish with their head still attached, I love your down-to-earth style and your obvious love for food. Thanks for being a epicurean inspiration to me and my dining room table.

And last, but not least, is Jeana of Days to Come. This woman truly is my long lost twin who was separated from me at birth in order to save the sanity of the original mother. Because if the two of us had been raised together, there truly would have been laughter for days to come from the entire house. Jeana, thanks for making me think about children, family, movies and sex in a whole new light. (Well, not the sex really, but I had to bring it up since you’re another woman who likes it as much as me. Now aren’t you proud to be nominated on this post?) Anyway, thanks for being so much like me that I’m not the only odd woman out in this blogging world.

Go and thank a blogger today and tell someone else that you’re glad that they’re there to inspire you.

***Updated because Laurel Wreath also honored me with this most distinguishing award… What is wrong with these people?!

Thanks Laurel for your sweet words. I’ll be sure to get you a new supply of Depends for next week… or Kleenex depending on the way I’m inspired to write.

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Let the Ballot Box Stuffing Begin

In addition to creating some fabulous posts for this blogging event, you need to head on over to the Share the Love Voting Polls. This is the 2nd stage voting where this voting will determine the finalists who will then be voted on in the 3rd stage voting so that there will be ultimate winners and a finale. Did you get all that?

Remember to vote for (me) your favorite (Shalee’s Diner) blog in each of the categories and share the blogging love. Just head here to start the stuffing…

This should be fun!

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You’d Better Hurry…

There’s only today left for nominations for the Share the Love Awards.

And to whomever nominated me for the additional awards of Most Inspiring and Best Commenter, I totally thank you. But just what am I inspiring you to be, might I ask? Chaotic? Sassy? Delusional? Slow-witted? Best example of why not to have kids? Did you think it said perspiring? Because that one I really might have a chance to win. Well, if I would start exercising again…

Now, if I can just figure out who to bribe for Woman Power!, Best Design and Best Writing, I would be in business…

Oh, never mind. A girl’s gotta have goals.

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Side note that may sound cocky, gloating, vain or proud, but really isn’t. It just made me feel good and happy inside:

Last night I came in from work and the phone was ringing. I, who usually ignore the contraption because I usually hate the thing and I want some time down time when I walk in the door – which is really a dream because typically I have to start dinner/switch laundry/answer questions/do dishes/pee all at the same time when I walk into the house (but really that is all too much information for even me so let’s move on, shall we?), answered the phone to find my friend laughing on the other end of the line. She informed me that she just started reading my blog from the beginning (poor girl – Jenny – really it does get better!) and she was up to March 2006. She said that she couldn’t go any further until she called me to say that she loved the humor, the wit, the style of writing and the exact likeness of me that I portray on the posts and now she had to get back to reading because she wanted to get caught up to present day so that she could start commenting on relevant, up-to-date material.

I’ve decided that answering the phone may not be such a bad thing after all. And she utterly, completely and wholely made me feel fantastic and relieved. (Hey, she could have called to say, “Perhaps you should consider knitting…”)

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You Shared the Love Alright…

Oh my lands… I leave for the weekend and come back to work to find emails/comments from y’all saying “Congrats”.

My first thought was “Where is my coffee?”, but right after that, I promise, was “What on earth are they talking about?” So first I went to find my coffee – hey a girl has to have priorities, and when it comes to coffee, I have mine –

Then it hit me…

Share the Love Awards.

I don’t think that it is any sort of understatement for me to say that I’m shocked. And slightly light-headed. I think I need to sit down. Well, I am sitting, but perhaps you won’t mind if I just hang my head between my knees a moment… and then pinch myself.

Are you serious? This isn’t a dream like the McDonald’s commercial?

I’m not eating in my underwear, and I saw my name several times, so it must be true.

Best Humor
Blogger You’d Most Like To Meet
Most Thought-Provoking
Blog You’ll Never Stop Reading (someone emailed me to tell me that she nominated me for this award but it’s not up yet… Thank you!)

Now, I’m going to be totally honest: I don’t think I have a chance in he bloggityville of winning Best Humor, not with the likes of BooMama, Big Mama, Antique Mommy – hey I might if I change my name to Mama’s Diner or something of the sort; I might have a chance – Anyway, I go to them to get my daily dose of comedy, so I’m going to have the hardest time voting for ONE. That’s like asking to pick your favorite child! And we all know what happened when Jacob did that with Joseph. I’m not feeling comfortable with two of them ganging up on another one and throwing her into a cistern and then selling her off to some group of gypsies just so we can all bow down to her later in life. I’m just saying… None of you have gotten a new coat of many colors lately, have you? If so, you may want to keep that little news to yourself for now…

Most Thought-Provoking was a stunner too, especially since I’m often trying to locate my brain cells to form just one thought, much less hoping to get you to think too. If by Most Thought-Provoking you mean “Blogger who is most transparent and willing to show her ugly warts and all so that God can use her to help others and at the same time glory Him,” then I can accept that nomination.

Blogger You’d Most Like To Meet – now that is just down right humbling. Just as a note of warning: I am the same in person as I am on the blog. Take that how you will… The award I would love to have is this: The Blogger You’d Most Like To Meet Again After Meeting Her The First Time. Now that would be saying something…

Blog You’ll Never Stop Reading – this one puts a big smile on my face. Because unlike a lot of other bloggers who say that they only write for themselves, I totally admit that I write for y’all. I love this communication, support and friendship that has developed over time. I post to keep you updated, to hear your comments and mostly to make you laugh. Yeah, I’m that vain. I post most of the time hoping to hear back you. Because y’all make me laugh/smile as much with the comments at my place as do your blogs.

So even if I win squat, I’d like to say thank you for thinking of me the way that you do. (But you know what I’m really saying is “Please go vote for me, because I really want to win.” Hey! I’m just continuing with the honesty thing. You wouldn’t expect less from me now, would ya?)

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