Thinking Blogger Award

They like me, they really like me! seriously, I am blown away that I have been given the "Thinking Blogger Award" by E at "Looking for George" and by Gretchen at "Lawmommy." Not only are they both women that I admire, they are the writers of two of my "must reads" on my list of blogs. Trouble is, they have been nominated by someone else, so I can't turn around and give them the award back. Same true for Mrs. Brocoli Guy, Life of Elle, The Open Window, The Cracked Pot, and Worth the Wait- all blogs that I love written by women that I respect and would love to meet in RL.

Before I nominate my 5, I am required by the rules to point those who I nominate towards the guidelines for this award, so check out this site before you nominate your 5 http://www.thethinkingblog.com/2007/02/thinking-blogger-awards_11.html (sorry folks, I have no idea how to do this so that it just has a "magic highlighted word" that you click on)

Without Further Ado, here are my 5 nominees:

1. Big Momma's World (http://thebodiebunch.blogspot.com/). Cindy is a 52 year old mom to 39 kids- yes, that is right, 39 kids. She adopted from Central America and from the foster care system. An Evangelical Christian who is far more conservative in her beliefs than I am, she has made a life for herself as a mom to kids who others would not adopt: older kids, and large sibling groups. I am constantly amazed at her faith, determination, and commitment to kids with some very tough behavior problems. I suffer under no illusions that I could live her life, but I respect her for what she has done and read her blog daily to see how she and her kids are doing. She is honest about the difficulties her kids face, but at the same time her love for the kids shines through. A tough lady, for sure. And a good mother.

2. Whittier on Autism (http://whitterer-autism.blogspot.com/). A British woman living in the United States who writes candidly and with great humor about her life as a mother to two young boys with Autism. Everyone should read this blog, wether or not they have an interest in autism or not- she is simply one of the best writers out there in bloggerland.

3. Jenn and BJ's blog Long Adventures (http://longadventures.blogspot.com/). Jenn and BJ were, up until recently, with the same agency Robert and I are with, in the process of adopting an infant from Vietnam. They are now the parents to a beautiful little peanut, Amos, that they adopted domestically. If you have not read their story, head over there right now and read it! They wrestled with the issues that plague most of us on waiting lists for a Vietnam adoption - the long wait, the concern over the icky "supply and demand" situation that seems to be occuring in Vietnam adoption -and made what was surely a difficult decision to switch to a domestic adoption. Amos truly is their miracle baby!

4. KellyO's blog Bunny's Mom (http://vietnambabybabybaby.blogspot.com/). KellyO started the Vietnam adoption process expecting to adopt a baby girl from Vietnam. Learning about a young boy on a Vietnam adoption agency waiting list who needed a family, she and her husband stepped up and said "We want to parent him." Will, the boy they are adopting, is a twin- his birthmother decided to place him for adoption, but not his brother. KellyO candidly shares in her blog the questions and concerns she wrestles with in their adoption of Will- the challenge of an older child adoption, her concerns over Will's feelings about being adopted, leaving his brother and his mother, and coming to America to be her son, and her wish to adopt both boys, if possible. She has a heart of gold, and the compassion she has for Will, his brother, and his birthmom is humbling to those of us who read her blog. I am amazed and in awe of the way in which KellyO and her husband have expanded their adoption dream to include not only the infant girl they first dreamed of, but an adorable little boy in a heartbreaking situation.

5. LaLa's blog Ladybugs and Dragonflies (http://www.thegrowingwarehouse.blogspot.com/). LaLa is the mom of the most beautiful little girl, Annslee, adopted from China. She and her husband are now in the process of adopting a little girl from Vietnam. her website is filled with photos and stories of Annslee, and includes a link to her page about their soon to be daugther from Vietnam. In addition, she is one of my best friends in bloggerland, and is allways quick to send me a friendly email when I am feeling down. I treasure her friendship greatly, and have photos of her little peanut on my fridge. Lala reminds me that there is light at the end of the "tunnel of endless waiting" and offers a vision of motherhood and family life that gives me hope that my own dreams of motherhood and family life can be, and will be, actualized. An intelligent, compassionate woman, she presents a postive, upbeat attitude that gives me courage and strength to keep hanging on. At my lowest point, she gave me the greatest gift- the opportunity to send to little Annslee a gift in the mail. LaLa, you probably have no idea how much it meant to me to be able to send a gift to a little one that, for me, has become the symbol of all that is good and right and joyous about building a family through adoption. I encourage everyone to drop by Ladybugs and Dragonflies, if for no other reason than to see the divine miss Annslee!