THANK YOU!! AND THANK YOU!!

Thanks so much to Traumamama T who gave me an award!

Back when I began blogging she was my inspiration for a short period of time until she dropped out. But, now she is back, anonymously, and I'm so glad.  Please check out T's blog!


So here's how this works.  There are two parts to it when you are nominated.  First you have to list seven things about yourself that your readers might not know.  Then you pass the love along by nominating (up to) five of your favorite blogs for the award.

I am nominating five bloggers, all are very dear to my heart, for this award.  


First, Hevel Shir Cohen, whose blog is KosherKola.  Hevel is nothing if not versatile!  He is a wonderful writer, a parent of many children, bio and adopted (from a variety of situations and countries), and he, himself, is adopted from a disruption.  He is well-versed in many different faiths, and respects the deepest spirituality in all of them.  He lives in the Holy Land, is Irish, but grew up as a Mormon in the US.  And, he cooks!  Now - find another blogger with more versatility than that!  

Second: Lindsay Crapo  Home: A Soft Place to Fall  Lindsay is beyond inspiring.  I love her blog all the more because, having met her in person, I know she actually exists with the same level of joyful energy and creative mothering, that we can read about on her blog.     Hard to believe anyone can pull off things the way she does - or describe the joy and heartbreak of loving traumatized kids - as well.  A gifted writer, too!  Plus, as her FB friend I have been privy to photos of her homemade cupcakes and other treats.  Unequivocally  versatile! She puts me to shame, on every front.  I just love her.

Third:  Deb Walker at Slava Bogu   I've read Deb's blog for a long time, and am always impressed by her sweet and understanding spirit, and her amazing love.  I could never do what she does. She works full-time, at a job which requires travel, and raises a family of four.  Deb writes a wonderful blog, but never goes out seeking readers.  She should have more!

Fourth:  Christie at Our Family Blog  Such a wealth of inspiration, and ideas and sweet stories from this family of four girls.  I love Christie's blog for a lot of reasons, but partly because she is on her "second family", too.  Versatile, because on this blog we get recipes, adoption-related thoughts, homeschooling tips and a lot more.

Fifth:  Rachael at Five is the New Four  Rachael gets a dispensation (if she wants one) on the "requirements" for receiving the reward.  At this very moment she is in Ukraine adopting her new teenage son.  At home she is a mother of four other children, one from Russia, an obstetrician (wow!) another marvelous  cook and decorator, plus she is so warm-hearted and charming. And a good writer!  Her blog is terrific.

So many other bloggers I'd like to mention, whose blogs I adore, but this time I focused on versatile; I guess that's the point!

Now for Seven Things about me you might not know.  I've done this a few times, but suppose most of you haven't read it....nevertheless, I'm trying to put in new ones.

1.  From the time I can remember, I felt so strongly that I was born in the wrong century.  Everything in me gravitated to things a hundred years older, to the point where I began to even have some ideas that I was somehow "placed" in the wrong century.   I would probably still feel this way except for the following miracle:

2. Our firstborn, Aidan, was born at 27 weeks, and also with a condition called hydrops fetalis, which is often fatal - especially in boys.  Especially 27 years ago!  If it hadn't been for modern technology - he wouldn't be here, and I probably wouldn't either.  So, for a few years every time that longing "oh, I wish I were back in.....", I'd have to immediately realize that if it were that long ago time, I'd be in big trouble.  Thus that lifelong yearning, for the most part, went dormant.

3. I have lived in an old brothel (The Silver Bell, in Telluride, Colorado), in an old Brew house (also in Telluride), in the HOT L Moscow, in Moscow, Idaho, in an old TB Hospital in Gooding, Idaho, in a Jewish Fraternity in Boulder, Colorado, in a cottage in Chautauqua Park in Boulder, in the janitor's closet of an old apartment building on Capitol Hill in Seattle,Washington, in a facility for the homeless in Oakland, CA, and in a studio apartment in NYC.....among other unique places.  The worst of these was the dreadful place for the homeless; the best was - oh! - hard to say!  The Chautauqua cottage was lovely, but for uniqueness nothing could beat the Silver Bell.

4.  The place I'd most like to have a chance to live for a bit is in a Russian dacha.

5.  I acted in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, at American Conservatory Theatre and in a number of regional theaters.  Shakespeare characters I've played in full performances include:  Hermia, Audrey, Titania, Puck, a "Weird Sister", Adrianna, Hero and Viola.  I think my best performances were probably Bananas in House of Blue Leaves and Madame Arcati in Blythe Spirit.

6.  The happiest I have ever been has been in Russia.....

7.  I think the authors who have had the most influence on me have been Laura Ingalls Wilder and Leo Tolstoy....how's that for a pair?  (Jane Austen and Barbara Pym have given me the most joy.)

Now it is up to Hevel, Christie, Deb, and Lindsay (Remember, Rachael is exempted since she is out being versatile, and Hevel is actually exempted too, because he just did "seven facts" and more, so all he needs to do is link), if they want to play.  Even if they don't, I love them.  Go visit!