Blog Awards

Rosemarie at Voice on Miscellaneous Matters and Kathi over at My Life as I Live It both presented me with a brand new blog award. It's called the "Nice Matters Award" and is for "bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world."

I admit I have been horribly negligent about passing on awards but wanted to express my gratitude to both Rosemarie and Kathi, two very amazing women. Thank you for calling me "nice!"

I was also nominated some time ago by my friend Camille over at Here in Holland for the "Courageous Blogger Award." She is a fellow WS mother I greatly admire. Camille, this award is indeed very dusty, but it is loved, and I haven't forgotten about it. That was incredibly sweet of you to do! I consider myself much more honest than courageous, but I accept this award in the hopes it will make me more of the former. I value our budding friendship more than you know. Someday we will have a glass of wine together and enjoy an episode of Sex and the City while the boys nap!

I have mixed feelings about blog awards in general. Don't get me wrong--there is nothing sweeter than getting some recognition from people I admire. However, I feel like it's 1987 all over again and I have been invited to go to lunch off campus with the popular kids with cars instead of enjoying lukewarm tater tot casserole in the cafeteria. Being included isn't a bad thing, but I can't ask everybody I love and admire to eat with me. That's the only problem I have with blog awards. I have met some of the most amazing people here and am thankful for every one of you. For this reason, I'll try to pass the awards to some new recipients as I express my love for all of you in "Willie World" (Williams syndrome) as well as the friends I normally visit frequently.

Today I'll pass the awards on.

Okay, I need audience participation here, as this is an interactive post. Firstly, to attend this awards ceremony, it is necessarily to picture me in a vintage Valentino gown with every inch of my exposed skin dripping in sparkling diamonds. I'm standing behind a Lucite podium, and Celine Dion has just left the stage after belting out one of her haughty but grand ballads (we will have a slap fight backstage later when I accuse her of completely faking her French-Canadian accent). Of course, as I announce the recipients of each award, I fully encourage enthusiastic applause. Hopefully, my performance will be of higher quality than Britney's at the Video Music Awards last weekend. And I promise I will not lip-sync. Or sing!



The recipients for the Nice Matters Award are:

Stacey at Confessions from a Scrapbook Junkie. Funny story here. I lived virtually next door to this woman but have never met her. She has now moved to the next town, and a mutual friend hooked us up in the Blogosphere. We are planning on lunch soon. I highly recommend her story about her bald chicken Lucy as well as the one about her hurdling a fence in a very delicate, advanced state of pregnancy. She has a very tender heart for humans and animals alike, even the rabid ones without plumage. If you scrapbook, she has some great tips as well.

Lazy Blogger. His home base is in the Midwest, but he and his wife travel often and post about their adventures, often detailing the history of their region of interest. I love to escape from my world from time to time, and I travel vicariously through his blog. He has dubbed himself "Lazy Blogger" because he doesn't participate in the usual silly Blogosphere activities but has shown me nothing but kindness through e-mails and posts (he's less lazy than he lets on...shhhh).

Leslie at Super Duper Jack. She has an almost 4-year-old son who happens to have Down syndrome and weaves a beautiful family story via her blog. The photos alone are worth stopping by to admire. They are a gorgeous expression of her love for her child. I am anxious to read more about Leslie and her family.

Michelle at Big Blueberry Eyes. Her daughter has Down syndrome as well, and, again, the stories and the photos she offers to her readers are beautiful. Her husband, Joe, has recently departed for military service, and she is pregnant with their second child. She offers information on Down syndrome as well as fun tidbits, such as recipes and stories about her family. Bravo!

Dawn over at Because I Said So. The world has recently discovered her through writing hilarious descriptions of eBay items for sale, one of which was a set of Pokemon cards unknowingly added to her shopping cart by one of her six children. She has been featured lately on radio talk shows because of her writing. If you need a good laugh, visit Dawn. Good lord, this woman is funny. She has actually brought some of her readers to urinary incontinence through her posts.



And now for the Courageous Blogger Award, which is "for those bloggers who are battling or have battled with physical and mental illness, those who are survivors of abuse, poverty, or who have overcome other challenges in life. Those who serve in the military or work/volunteer in dangerous situations in order to provide a service or to help others. This award is for the strong, the brave, and the courageous." I am passing it on to someone in Willie World who has been in my thoughts and prayers lately. Her name is Kim over at Ava's Garden, and she has a beautiful granddaughter with Williams syndrome. That's how we met, anyway. Since then, she witnessed a very traumatic event most of us could never begin to imagine. Kim, I hope you get your voice back soon. I don't recognize you to put pressure on your writing in the least, but I just wanted to know I think of you so very often.

This concludes my little ceremony for now. If you are a recipient today, the instructions state you are to pass on the love (7 for the Nice Matters and 5 for the Courageous Blogger) if you feel the desire to do so. Feel free to display your award on your blog!

I must go, as P. Diddy has insisted he can't start his after party on his yacht without my presence, and the limo is waiting.

(Raising glass of fizzy Krug Grand Cuvée)

CHEERS!