Beautiful Blogger Award

Melba was sweet enough to give me a Beautiful Blogger Award which actually means a lot because her blog was one of the first blogs that I ever began reading. I had the good fortune of finding her blog right before Charlie came home and posted about it here. So, thanks much for the recognition, Melba, as I've really enjoyed following along with your journey. You were one of the few mom blogs I could read during my wait and I'm glad I finally got to join your ranks.

As part of the award I'm now going to list 15 blogs that I think are great. I actually think every blog I follow is great, but here's a list:

1. Lori at Weebles Wobblog
2. Geochick at Adventures of a Dam Engineer
3. Melissa at Our Full Circle
4. Patti at It's Just One Hat
5. E at Waiting for Our Baby
6. Rachel at Barren Woman
7. Laurie at Adoption Creates Families
8. Kelley at From You and Me to Family
9. Ashley at More Than Dog Children
10. Kalibug at A Sibling for Kali
11. Debbie at Always and Forever Family
12. Her Womb Our Hearts
13. H at Confessions of a Waiting Mommy
14. Fishsticks and Fireflies
15. A shameless plug for family (my brother-in-law). If you need a good beer recommendation, this is the blog for you: BarleyVine

Here are seven things about me in no particular order:
1. I just began home brewing with my husband. Our Belgian Pale Ale and IPA will be done in a couple of weeks.
2. I'm a foodie.
3. I love to garden and plan on planting our sugar snap peas in a few weeks and begin our seedlings for fabulously yummy heirloom tomatoes this weekend.
4. I hate to fly and have to load up on Valium and a Bloody Mary to make it from Point A to Point B but I do love to travel.
5. I relocated almost a dozen squirrels from my back yard during my maternity leave (they are tomato thieves). Yes, I am a renaissance woman- home brewing and squirrel relocation.
6. I'm a morning person but must have caffeine before any interaction can take place.
7. I hate going to movies and have a hard time staying awake through them at home.

I have many posts swirling around in my head and hope to have time at the computer again soon.

Honest Scrap Blog Award

This award is courtesy of RB at Baby Mac...Where are you? http://ouradoptionjourney-bm.blogspot.com/

There are three rules for this award: First, link back to the person who gave you the award (see above).

Next, give the award to 10 other bloggers:

1. Melba at Dreams Really do Come True: http://mandmadopt.blogspot.com/ Melba's is the first adoption blog that I found when I started searching for other blogs. I found her blog right when she got "the call". Melba's already received this award but rightfully so. She's so supportive of all of the adoption bloggers out there with her thoughtful comments.

2. Lavender Luz at http://www.weebleswobblog.com/ This again is one of the first adoption blogs I've found and really an incredible resources. If you haven't been to this blog it's a must to add to your list.

3. Ashley at http://morethandogchildren.blogspot.com/ This blog has been great to remind me that no matter how long the wait there is a baby at the end of the journey.

4. E at Waiting for Baby: http://finallyababyforus.blogspot.com/ I love her honesty and can relate to so much of what she has to say about this journey.

5. Laurie at http://adoptioncreatesfamilies.blogspot.com/ This blog has also really given me hope that a child will happen for us. Laurie has been keeping a blog for a long time and it's great to read about her experiences and day to day life with her two beautiful kids.

6. Melissa at Full Circle: http://coloradodentons.blogspot.com/ Melissa's blog is another that I found when I first started searching and she's a fellow Colorado Blogger. I love her sense of humor and perspective.

7. Kel at http://pastedtogether.blogspot.com/ I just found this blog and have enjoyed reading it.

8. Goggy Coffee: http://goggycoffee.blogspot.com/ This is a great blog that features the male perspective of adoption and he's a contributor to Adoptive Families magazine.

9. Rebekah at http://wheredoibegain.blogspot.com/ Blogs about her experiences as a birthmom and mom.

10. SJ at http://missednote.blogspot.com/ This is a great and very honest blog from a birthmother. I love reading her perspective on adoption. I am so grateful to the amazing birthmothers who share their experiences.

I thought it would be hard to pick 10 bloggers as I didn't think that I followed any more than 10 but as I scrolled through the blogs on my blogger account I have realized that I follow the journey of so many amazing women (and one man). It's so amazing to have such a great blogger community to support one another through this journey. There are many more amazing blogs than just these 10.

I'm now reluctantly typing the last part of the award- 10 things about myself:

1. I just took a quiz on Facebook that told me that I'm right brained and most like Twisted Sister in "What 80s Band Are You?"

2. I love food and cooking. It's a great escape for me and a huge passion of mine.

3. I'm a certified Kansas City BBQ Society judge.

4. I met my husband at a really seedy punk rock dive bar AND I hit on him.

5. I love the water and a prerequisite of any vacation is that water is close by.

6. I love growing and picking food and have a great garden and my husband and I have started hunting porcini mushrooms in the Rocky Mountains.

7. I love blogging and following everyone's journeys. It's much cheaper than a therapist.

8. I can't survive without caffeine in the morning. This is not a joke.

9. I've known two of my closest friends since I was 2 and 5 and feel blessed to have such an amazing supportive group of people around me.

10. I'm not good at waiting.