I am so loved!

Imagine how honored I feel at getting an award from Alana last month. Which I totally deserve, of course, but still, it's an honor. ;) Thank you Alana!

The rules of accepting this award are simple: list seven things you love, and pass the award to seven bloggers you love. Here goes!

Seven things I love:

1. Family and friends. I am including this first because I feel obligated love them all very, very much. My husband, my son, my parents, my brother, my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, the whole bunch of in-laws, friends from my hometown, friends from college, friends from grad school, friends from work, etc. etc.... I'm not sure how I got so lucky to have them in my life, but I thank God that I do. I am so inspired and encouraged by such amazing people. And it doesn't mean anything that I keep moving farther and farther away from you all. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Really.

2. The Internet. This is obviously a common entry for others receiving the award, but it's just too important to leave off. Before the Internet, I really don't know how people survived infertility or figured out who starred in that one movie about that little robot guy that came out in the mid 1980s (it was Ally Sheedy and Steve Guttenberg). I have learned valuable tips from the experiences of others and gotten so much support during the hardest time of my life, it is still amazing to me that "virtual" friendships can be just as strong and true as IRL friendships. And speaking of the Internet connecting us to information and people we otherwise wouldn't have had access to: If you remember this Show & Tell post, I wrote about a book signing where I met my favorite historical romance author, Jayne Ann Krentz, aka Amanda Quick. I actually posted a link to it on her blog so she could read my post, and then she wrote a response to me on her blog! (The comment is under the post "Jayne and the Case of the Missing Fern.") I was so excited when I read it that I almost had to change my own diaper. Anyway, I'm sure that like me, you are all glad that Al Gore invented the Internet so you can read about what my wonky ovaries are up to. Fun times.

3. Air conditioning. When we first moved to Seattle, we discovered -- horror of horrors -- that most homes here do NOT have air conditioning. Being from the Midwest, this was absolutely mind-blowing and we almost canceled the relocation. "Oh, don't worry," all the Seattlites assured us. "You won't need it." Who knows, maybe they meant that when you live here long enough, your skin grows a layer of cool gel that protects you from the heat. I mean, sure, the weather here is beautifully mild and I love that we can have the windows open and enjoy fresh air for so much of the year. But today the temperature is 86 degrees, and even if it won't stay that way for long, I am thanking God that the previous owners of our house had the good sense to install AC. It may not be green, but every blast of artificially cool air in my face is like a breath from God. If you think I am exaggerating, you obviously have never lived in a hot climate without air conditioning. Especially with a baby.

4. Mountains. As soon as we got married and DH started searching for his first job out of college, I begged him to find something in Colorado. Ever since I was a young teen and my Dad would take my me and my brother skiing there every year, I have been in absolute *love* with the state. Then when I was Matron of Honor in my friend's wedding in Colorado Springs, I met an awesome group of llamas belonging to another bridesmaid's mom, and I felt the call of the mountains even more. (That makes perfect sense in my mind, by the way.) The bad news is that we overshot this relocation by about 1400 miles. But the good news is... THERE ARE MOUNTAINS HERE! And I love them. Despite my reluctance to agree to this move, I have found myself feeling more at home here than I have anywhere else in years, and I really think the mountains are a big part of that. I'm surprised we haven't caused any car accidents because we are constantly gawking at the Cascades and Mount Rainier. We can already hear the exchange in the car in eight years. DH: "Look! The mountain is out! Can you believe we actually live here?" Me: "No, truly I can't. It's absolutely breathtaking." Bean: "You guys have been saying that since I was born. Please stop." He's ungrateful sometimes.

5. The HOV lane. Speaking of Seattle, another new concept to me is the HOV lane (aka "high occupancy vehicle" or carpool lane). All the highways have them, and they are fabulous. I finally -- after 14 months -- remembered to research how old a child has to be to count as a passenger in the HOV lane. And guess what? It's from BIRTH! Bean and I now rock the HOV lane like it's our job. It's kinda cheating because we are not really the originally intended users, but if people can get away with using blow-up dolls in the passenger seat, I will count my son without shame. I do have one plea to other HOV drivers, though. This wonderful lane is not in existence simply to organize the cars on the highway by how many people are riding in them. They were invented to SPEED UP the flow of traffic. So if you are driving SLOWER than the normal lanes, please do NOT get in the HOV lane. Congratulations on having your wife in the car with you, but you do not need to show off your marital status by riding in this lane. You will receive dirty looks from the rest of us who are trying to use it to get to our destinations in a timely manner. Please and thank you. I'm glad we had this talk.

6. Driving. Speaking of driving, it makes my heart sing. No, not the times that I am stuck in traffic because some dolt is clogging the HOV lane and Bean is screaming his head off. I am talking about road trips, especially ones where I am driving on an open highway all by myself and can belt out the lyrics to an All-American Rejects song without offending any passengers. I don't do much -- well, any -- of this sort of driving anymore, but I think back fondly to my college days, driving home from Chicago or driving across Michigan to see my future DH. In fact, on days when I was particularly dissatisfied with my journalism coursework, I would imagine quitting school and becoming a cross-country truck driver. It's still something I consider now and then, for when Bean is in school and DH insists suggests that I go back to work. Ten four, little lady.

7. Chocolate. There are few things in the world that are as perfect as chocolate. I don't think I need to say much on this topic, because I think you all know what I'm talking about and it's impossible to do it justice with mere words. Let's just say it has saved my life and the lives of those around me during several PMS-induced crazes. I adore chocolate to such an extent that I am naturally suspect of anyone who claims not to like it. In fact, unless you have a great many other positive attributes to overcome this deficiency, you will probably not be my friend.


Seven bloggers I love*:

1. Michelle at TO BABY AND BEYOND because she is a huge Red Wings fan and we are going to totally rock this championship!

2. Eve at Infertility Rocks! because she is going to my old RE (kinda) and I am beyond jealous.

3. Al at The Second Time Around because she's timing a 7-hour drive to Michigan ALONE with both kiddos around our visit so we can kick it.

4. Beautiful Mess at Life Induces Thoughts, Mostly Random because she is an awesome cook and has promised to send me some of her yummy food. (Right?)

5. Liv at The Life of Liv because I recently started reading her and I *heart* her already.

6. Nicky at Grad Ovaries because she's a Smarty McSmarterson like my hubby, I enjoy her intellectual style.

7. And lastly, NOT to Deb at Postcards from the Edge, because like my son, she can sometimes be ungrateful. (Just kiddin' Deb. I know you already have this award anyway. Couldn't resist the tease, though.)

*sorry if you already have this award, just ignore me :)