Have I Told You Lately?

Stella, over at Mountain Momma, awarded me this recently! I love that Stella lurks more than she comments, mostly because I'm guilty of the same thing over at her blog! She is awesome, and I can count her among the many emotionally powerful women I know and read.

And then Shellie, over at Little But Loud, gifted me with this awesome award! She thinks, and I'm in complete agreement, that it might be fun if we were actually neighbors. Of course, it might just be because she thinks the weather here might be kinda nice! :)

Have I told you all how amazing it makes me feel to receive these awards? When I started this blog, it was mainly to have an outlet for my creativity. One that didn't subject poor Coach, Jock and Bug to being my *borderline* unwilling audience. For while they all love to hear me sing, I'm not so sure they enjoy my written ramblings quite as much. Although that hasn't stopped me, it was nice to have a different outlet.

I was reading a recent post from Karen at Lyrics of My Life when I realized that another reason I have so enjoyed this blog is because this is something that is MINE. I don't have to share it. Yes, we share the computer. Not the point. This blog isn't contributed to by Coach and the boys, outside of being my inspiration more often than not. (And admit it... you all have loved the inspiration given me by these boys! I know it constantly amazes me how funny they are!)

And yes, I'll admit it here, for the first time. One other reason, a small one to be sure, but still there, was in retaliation for a very unkind blog post written about me by someone else. When I started this blog, I was full of hurt feelings and was convincing myself that if this person could do something like that.... well then, it totally made them fair game and it was ok if I wrote unkind things right back.

*sigh*

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I simply don't have it in me to be that vindictive and vengeful. Each time I sat down to write a snarky post, I found myself writing about something completely different that what I had intended. After numerous attempts to get myself "back on track, damn it!", I realized that it just wasn't going to happen. I couldn't be that obnoxious. Besides, its not like I was going to take out full page ads in the local paper broadcasting my blog, so the person in question was never going to see what I wrote anyway.

However, I do send a thankful thought towards that blog's direction every time one of my awesome blog friends leaves me a fantastic comment, gifts me with an amazing award, or sends me a phenomenal spaghetti sauce recipe!

You guys rock!