I am humbled....

and honored.

Yesterday, I received a comment from Barbie at Moments Memories Milestones. The comment stated that I had received an award for Blogging with a Purpose and to check out her website. I do this quite often anyways, because she has the cutest littles ones from China, including Ryan who is one of the most adorable cleft babies I've ever seen. Ahhh....to be able to bring home just one more! ::Ohilda slaps herself back into reality::

Sorry, I digress. Anyways, I went to her blog and her sweet words made me cry. Thanks, Barbie for the tears!! Barbie is truly a faith-filled woman who allows the Lord to lead her life. On her blog in nomating me, she wrote:

"You are such a breath of fresh air. Your honesty brings me back to your blog again and again. You love your family with such a passion and yet you have been able to hand them all over to the One who created them. You are a true prayer warrior. I can't even imagine how many families you have helped by blogging about the reality in your home."

Wow! I am humbled, indeed. Thank you. I want to say that when I looked at the name of the award, Blogging with a Purpose, I smiled to myself because I have really one purpose for blogging, and that is to give our Lord all the glory and honor for everything in my life. The good is a gimmie, because we all know that all good things come from above. But, to be thankful for the bad things in our life is a challenge. Yet, I try hard to see the good behind whatever evils come our way. God's plan is always perfect and if you could turn around Satan's evil doings for God's glory, you are accomplishing what we are called to do; to give glory and honor to the King of Kings, period. I am hoping and encouraged by this that my blog will continue to do just that. Again, Barbie, thank you.

Now, I need to nominate 5 bloggers. This is tough because I read quite a few blogs and so many inspire me. that it's hard to choose. There are a few who I read consistently but have never posted and well, I guess this is as good a time as any to delurk.

Julie from A Joyful Life - This woman has no idea who I am, but I came across her blog months ago. She is another faith-filled Christian with inspiring values and true love for her family and the Lord. I have never commented on her site, but check in almost daily. Her messages are inspiring and have many times given me much food for thought when my life has been in turmoil.

Amy from Catching Butterflies 2 - Amy lives in Germany with her beautiful family and is a huge advocate for waiting children. Amy adopted Sarah from China last year while we were waiting to bring home Anna Grace. I remember reading her struggles with Sarah's attachment and thinking to myself, how blatantly honest she was about her feelings. I didn't expect those struggles with Anna Grace, yet I couldn't stop reading. God was preparing me. It was one of the very few blogs that I have read that truly mentioned all sides of adoption, including the not-so-sugary side of it. Thank you, Amy!

Worth the Wait is my next nomation. Rhonda is the mom to 2 cuties from Russia. Again, another blog I have been reading almost daily for over a year, yet have never come out of the closet and commented. This Mom writes in a manner that I feel like I am a part of whatever she is writing. She is honest in her writings and can easily make me burst out in a fit of laughter as much as she can bring me to tears. Not to mention that her children's antics remind me so much of my own little ones.

Emily at And Then There Were Seven - This blog is amazing! It's written by a 14 year old sister of a beautiful China doll named Anna Claire. Her family is now waiting to bring home yet another little one from China. Our Lord uses children in so many ways, and Emily is no exception. She is a shining example of a big sister, but what most moves me most is her true and genuine love for Jesus. She is open about her faith and her love for beautiful family, something that we do not often see from teenagers in our society now a days. Thank you, Emily!

And last, but certainly not least, is my dear friend, Tonya, from The Bramblett Bunch - As you all know the past week I have been asking for prayers for little Ayla. Her Mama, Tonya, is an amazing woman who shines Christ's love like few people I have ever met. She is genuinely a loving, caring and nurturing person who I have never heard an unkind comment from. Her strength and courage are inspiring and many times she has lifted me up with her writings by sharing her own struggles with such eye opening honesty.

Award Rules:

1. Awarded parties must nominate five people who have not received the award.

2. The blogs that receive the award must serve some purpose.

3. In their post about the award they need to link back to this original post.

4. Awarded parties must post the award banner on their site. The banner must remain linked to this site, Eric.