with thanks (and blogs I enjoy)

Bethany was
probably my first bloggy friend.  Somehow she found my blog when I
first started blogging and left TONS of encouraging comments.  She was
instrumental in me finding my voice as a blogger.  I owe her tons and
tons.  She has an awesome blog full of great pictures of her beautiful children. 

She recently said some really sweet things about me and gave me this:

A while back someone commented on my blog that I should check out Jimmie's blog.  So, I clickty-clicked and found a new bloggy friend (Thanks to whoever of you suggested that).  Jimmie is fun and has a great blog!!  She writes about life in China and homeschooling too.  This past week she has been blogging all about her family's ultimate field trip to Xian, land of the famous Terracotta Warriors.

She also recently said some really sweet things about me and gave me this:

Then this morning, I woke up to find a very "new-to-me" blogger (read: I only found her last night) also had left me the Rocking Girl Blogger Award!!  Ashley is a college student with some really amazing dreams and a heart for missions (check out this AWESOME video
she posted).  I look forward to reading more and more about her
adventures--cuz let me tell she has the "adventure gene" for sure.

Ashley also said some sweet things about me when she gave me this:

And, not to be left out a few months ago Crickl's Nest and Blair also gave me a "pass-it on blogging award" that I never passed on.

First . . .THANK YOU each of you ladies for encouraging me by saying nice things about me and my blog.  It is always nice to be appreciated!!

Second, it is hard for me to "pass it on" because I want to pass it on to everybody AND because words are my love language, so I want the words to be just right so that they perfectly convey my love. It's my people-pleasing perfectionism at it's height. :)

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Nevertheless, here are five bloggers that have been encouraging to me in the past few months. . . . if you are listed here, please (a) choose which if either award you would like to receive (or hey you could even take both) and (b) feel free to ignore the need to pass it on if you already got it before or are like me and find it difficult. 

Leslie @ Lux Venit
Leslie is about the same age as me but living a totally different life, and yet I feel a "kindred spirit" with her and totally admire her.  Leslie's posts are always well written and filled with wisdom; sometimes they are encouraging, sometimes informative, and sometimes raw with blatant honesty.  I enjoy visiting her blog and appreciate our budding bloggy friendship.  I'm glad I stumbled upon her blog a few months ago.

Blair @ Blair's Scribblings
Blair is another one of my first bloggy friends.  She has been an awesome supporter of the Carnival of Beauty, for which I am very thankful.  Like Leslie, Blair is another honest blogger.  I love how she is open about her goals--both her successes and failures.  She models something I long for in my own life.  Blair is also a storyteller.  Her posts are rich and a delight to read.  Some of her writing has even made me cry--it's powerful stuff I tell ya.  Again, I am very thankful for Blair's bloggy friendship.

Char @ Always an Adventure
I keep forgetting that I don't really know Charlotte in real life; I feel like I do or at least should.  She lives on the other side of this beautiful little island and keeps a blog that chronicles her life here in Taiwan.  I feel like we have so very much in common.  I love reading her stuff because it is always a great reminder that I am not all that unique/different after all.  We've talked about meeting in real life this summer; I hope that really happens.

Ashley @ 26cats and Beth @ Onward-n-Upward
Until just recently these two ladies blogged together, so I am going to write about them together.  Ashley and Beth are about my age; both are married but do not yet have children.  This was actually my initial attraction to their blog.  Being able to gain a glimpse into their lives as (young) married women striving to glorify God in all that they do.  And, it grew into something just a bit more than my nosiness . . . I appreciate their new bloggy friendships, and am thankful for the opportunity to get them them even better.

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Here are some other blogs that I read and enjoy on a regular basis, but I either lurk on these blogs or know them IRL.  Some I've been following for awhile, others I've only recently discovered.

• Anna's Photo of the Day (breathtaking photos)



• Bringing Good Home (a relatively new bloggy friend)



• Entertaining Angels (an IRL friend, also lives in Taiwan)



• Eyes of Wonder (a simply beautiful blog with serene photos)



• Holy Experience (another simply beautiful blog)



• joy in the journey (missionary, wife, and mom in Indonesia)



• Just My Journal (a long time bloggy friend--another one of those feels like I know her IRL situations)



• Lifesong (a relatively new read for me)



• Like Merchant Ships (blogs about her frugal life)



• Mountain Musings (a fun family blog from the mountains)



• Oh, the places you'll go! (brand spanking new bloggy friend)



• Sandy's Neipu Notebook (an IRL friend, also lives in Taiwan)



• Solo Femininity (a must read for single ladies)



• SQJ Taipei (fellow Taiwan blogger and missionary)





• The M Blog (blogs about missions from Ecuador)



• Through a Glass (a relatively new bloggy friend and faithful CoB supporter)



• Unfurling Flower (blogs about singleness and biblical femininity)

Thanks again--to ALL of you mentioned here!  I really do value all of you in a way that only another blogger can appreciate! :)