Follower of the Month: Amber

(I apologize for being late with this month's Follower of the Month!)

December's Follower of the Month is Amber of Viva Voce.

Amber is a newlywed who lives just a few hours south of me. One of these days, I hope to meet up with her. She has been a follower of mine pretty much since the beginning and has been very supportive during my trials over the last year or so. Thanks, Amber!

So, let's get to know Amber a little more, shall we?

1. What’s your name?

Amber

2. Tell us a little bit about you.

I am 26 (almost 27!) years old. I live in North Dakota. I grew up in a very small town (13 in my graduating class), and I gradually moved to bigger towns. ;) I graduated from college in Dec. of 06 with a BA in English and moved to my current city for a job that I absolutely love. I just got married on September 26 to an amazing man who makes all my days good days.

I love music (Alkaline Trio, Tegan & Sara, Death Cab for Cutie, Against Me, Say Anything, etc) and good books (I am currently reading The Middle Place). I also love margaritas, summer, the color green and Elvis Presley.

3. When did you start blogging, and why?

Honestly, I started reading blogs and I just thought that I could do it too. I have been blogging since the spring of ’07.

4. Tell us a bit about your blog(s).

It’s a mish mash of a lot of stuff. General life stuff, wedding planning, apartment hunting, life as a newlywed, and I have Fridays devoted to interesting things that I find on the internet or elsewhere.

5. Has blogging changed you or your outlook on life at all?

Yes, I think so. Through other people sharing their life experience, I have learned to be more grateful for my own.

6. Link us to 1-3 of your favorite posts from your own blog.

I am horrible at listing my favorite posts.

Being With You

You Know, Like An Anteater

7. Link us to 1-3 of your favorite fellow bloggers.

It’s hard to pick just three.

Apathetic Fish

Life on the Hilltop

Snapshots of My Life

8. How did you come to be a follower of mine, and why do you follow me?

You were one of the first people that left a comment on my blog. I had to return the favor, and I never stopped reading.

9. What, if anything, have you gained from reading my blog?

I don’t think people realize what an incredible amount of strength they have within themselves and you are living, breathing proof of that strength. Through many hardships, you have persevered. It helps me to better trust the old saying that God never gives you more than you can handle, and there is always a glimmer of hope that things will get easier and things will get better no matter the circumstance.

10 Tell me the truth, you’re going to brag to all your bloggy friends that you were my follower-of-the-month, aren’t you? ;-)

Duh!

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Thank you for being my follower of the month, Amber!

If you would like to be a follower of the month, just send me an email with "I want to be a follower of the month" in the subject line!

Follower of the Month - Jacquelyn

November's Follower of the Month is Jacquelyn from Broken Angel. Jacquelyn's blog is dedicated to her precious son Trevor who lived for 22 minutes. I have not had an opportunity to get to know Jacquelyn very well so when she raised her virtual hand to be my Follower of the Month, I thought it would be a great chance to get to know her a little bit more.

And now, here's Jacquelyn:


1. What’s your name?

My name is Jacquelyn Woods; my friends and family call me Jackie, Jax, Jac, etc.

2. Tell us a little bit about you.

Well, I’m a 24-year-old young lady from Rhode Island, USA. The smallest state in the union! I grew up mostly in Warwick, Rhode Island and now live in a town here called South Kingstown. I am the mother of a beautiful Angel in Heaven; his name is Trevor Michael A., and he’ll be five this month. He was born on November 22, 2004 (11/22), at 11:22 PM, at 22 weeks gestation, and lived for 22 minutes. Needless to say, 11:22 and 22 alone are significant numbers to me. Trevor’s father is no longer in my life, for various reasons. I’ve been living on my own for almost two years now. This weekend (Nov. 1^st), I will be moving into a new apartment with a good friend of mine, hoping to save money on rent for both of us. I’m currently single, and have only really been in one semi-serious relationship since the end of my five-and-a-half year relationship with Trevor’s father. My passions are music (my favorites include Hanson, Rolling Stones, Evanescence, Taylor Swift, my brother/friends’ up-and-coming band, NFP [Neurosis From Pillory], and in general rock, country and some Christian/worship), spending time with friends and family, TV/movies, and my newest obsession is the Twilight series. I am a newly devoted Christian; though my faith is something I’m still getting a grip on. I have learned that the only way to get through something is to take it one day at a time. I’ve learned to expect good and bad days; and I’ve learned, most of all, that everyone needs someone, sometimes.

3. When did you start blogging, and why?

I started blogging in April of this year. I began my blog, because until then my son was almost a secret. Trevor’s father wanted nothing to do with honoring his memory. I was young, scared, and did what I was told when he decided we would never talk about our son. Then, I told my best friend about him and I felt like a thousand-pound weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. I met another young woman at church who has also lost her son to premature birth complications. She told me about her blog, and from then on out I was hooked! It was such a relief to be able to share my feelings with others who have been in my situation. I haven’t stopped blogging since!

4. Tell us a bit about your blog(s).

My blog is dedicated to Trevor Michael’s life and memory. I named my blog Broken Angel, for various reasons. I originally got the idea from a song by Hanson, by the same name, “Broken Angel”. The song has always reminded me of Trevor (I will link to lyrics in question # 6), because of the struggle there. I’m not sure that this song was written about a child lost; in fact, it’s probably about something all together different, but I interpret it to mean something to my son and I. My son is what one would consider, a Broken Angel, in a way. The idea originally was that the Angel in me died along with Trevor, so I was left broken, as well. Not every single post on my blog has been about my son; but the principle of my blogging experience has always been for him. I’m no professional blogger, but I am in love with my page layout and I think my Little Man would be proud of his Mama.

5. Has blogging changed you or your outlook on life at all?

Absolutely! I was never one for forming online relationships of any kind. But, as soon as I saw (and felt) the love and support between other bloggers and myself, it was hard to ignore. I have never felt more understood, or more comfortable being honest about my mistakes, my feelings, or my beautiful baby boy. Until I began blogging, I didn’t think the death of your child was something you were “allowed” to talk about. Many of the women in my family have lost children/miscarried; and no one ever speaks of it. Trevor’s father also thought it was a horrible idea to talk about our son. I just assumed the death of a baby was something taboo, like people didn’t talk about it. I understand that the world is still naïve about the subject. But in the blog world, there are testimonies, pictures, dedications, and support on all ends of the spectrum. I feel like my son makes me PART of something, for once, instead of making me different and odd. My fellow Baby Lost Mamas and Daddies have made me proud and confident about honoring my son’s life. Trevor went from a taboo subject in the back of my mind, to the most open, important thing about me. He defines part of me now; and I’m glad.

6. Link us to 1-3 of your favorite posts from your own blog.

• First, I’ll start with this post: - It’s titled “How My Angel Earned His Wings”. It’s sad, graphic at times, but brutally honest. It was my first post ever, and it tells the story of my son, his father, and myself.
• Second, The Secret Garden Meeting - September is the post including the lyrics to the song “Broken Angel”, as promised above.
• My third and final favorite is definitely this post: Inspired - because it illustrates that I've realized before how awesome this blog world is!

7. Link us to 1-3 of your favorite fellow bloggers.

• First and foremost, there is JACLYN @ Simply Reminisce. She is the above-mentioned friend who I met at church. Really, the person who taught me to open up about Trevor. She’s the reason I found the blogging world at all.
• Second is KAYLEIGH’S STORY. When I began following this blog, sweet Kayleigh was in the NICU, battling with many complications. Her story inspired me from the moment I laid eyes on her. Kayleigh recently went to be with God in Heaven; and we all miss her, but know she is in a better place. I have learned a lot from her parents’ posts, and I still follow what the family is up to now. There are always inspirational words found on these pages!
• Thirdly, I would have linked to With An Angel On My Shoulder…but you’re already here! So you already know how inspiring this blog is!

8. How did you come to be a follower of mine, and why do you follow me?

I have a tendency to browse other people’s blog lists, looking for blogs that spark my interest. I don’t know through whose blog I found your page, but as soon as I read your story, my heart went out to you. Of course, you could relate to how I feel about losing a precious baby. Besides all of that mushy stuff…I have yet to be bored by your blog! I love that you share all of your crafts and activities with us. It’s so much fun, and a good break sometimes in the usually full-of-emotion blogs I read. I love this follower-of-the-month idea; and I’m also on the list for Patches the Bear! Your honesty and down-to-earth attitude is also a big plus.

9. What, if anything, have you gained from reading my blog?

First off, the loss of your daughter was a great loss for you; and that is the place in which we can most relate. But also, the loss of your husband of course, breaks my heart. I obviously could never imagine what you feel about him. The closest I have come to your loss was losing my best friend, Jordan, in high school to leukemia. For sure, I can’t even begin to understand your loss here, but I will tell you what kept me the most interested in your blog: your perseverance. I thought, if you are surviving not only the loss of a child like me, but also the loss of your spouse…then I would have to survive, as well. There were days when I would feel like giving up; felt like losing my mind. But then I think, there are people out there (you especially) who have been through far worse than I have, and have come out much, much stronger than me. So in a way, you’ve given me some of my strength to move on…and thank you for that.

10 Tell me the truth, you’re going to brag to all your bloggy friends that you were my follower-of-the-month, aren’t you? ;-)

Of course! As soon as it posts, I will be bragging about it on my own page! Thanks again for the opportunity!

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Thank you for being my Follower of the Month, Jacquelyn! It has been great getting to know you a little bit more and learning more about your blogging history. Everyone, be sure to go say Hi to Jacquelyn over at her blog!

If you're here from Jacquelyn's blog, please drop a line so I know you were here and so I can come say hi to you!

If you are one of my followers and would like to be a Follower of the Month, be sure to let me know!

Follower of the Month - Shea

October's Follower of the Month is Shea, otherwise known as The Fascinating Girl.

I met Shea a few years ago on SHARE and as we found ourselves moving on from SHARE, we began to stalk each other in Blogville.

Shea's blog is full of witty sarcasm and humorous self- criticism. Don't be fooled by Shea's cuteness. She keeps it real. Shea has a knack for finding humor in any situation. You can't help but laugh as you read some of her stories, because, most likely, you have experienced similar situations yourself. Especially if you're a mom. You can always count on Shea for a pick-me-up on a gloomy day.

And now, my fellow bloggers, please allow me to introduce you to Shea!

1.What's your name?

Shea

2.Tell us a little bit about you.

Wow I didn't know this was going to be so hard! Um I grew up in Alberta Canada. Due to teenage drama, I ended up going to school at Brigham Young University in Utah instead of University of Calgary. Karma kicked me in the ass and now I'm stuck in Utah. I've been married to Ryan for 15 years. He is a detective/trooper/sergeant, which is why we are stuck in Utah. I have two beautiful daughters, Hanna and Grace. I have one beautiful daughter in heaven, Evie. I also have 4 angel babies that I never got the pleasure of meeting. So my girls are kind of a miracle. I went back to work this year teaching 27 first graders and I'm just trying to keep my head above water and my eyes open past 7pm.

3.When did you start blogging and why?

I started blogging after Evie was born. My therapist told me journal writing would be therapeutic and blogging was kind of a new thingy so I thought I'd try it. I also thought it would help keep family in Canada updated. It has been very good for me and helped keep me off anti-depressants and out of therapy.

4.Tell us a bit about your blog(s).

Well, I like to think of it as a diary or journal. I wish I could write everything I think because I have some funny stuff rolling around in my head but I've learned (you can view snotty blog comments yourself) that you can't write everything you think because people you might never think of could be reading your blog. So it's just about my life, my thoughts, my struggles. I try to not make it all about my family or kids and I try to make it kind of humorous. Self-deprecating maybe.

5.Has blogging changed you or your outlook on life at all?

It has made me feel more confident about my writing. Believe me, I know I'm not a great writer but I like to hear that I made people smile or laugh. Everyone wants to be liked, right? I've also realized that others struggle with the same things I do. It's comforting to know you're not the only crazy one out there. I've also been disturbed by how willing people are to say really horrible things when they are under the cloak of anonymity. I'm trying to learn not to internalize hurtful comments.

6.Link us to 1 - 3 of your favorite posts from your own blog(s).

Sex Education in the Nordstrom Family Bathroom

Mrs. Nolipsmomhaircrazyeyes

Missing Evie

7.Link us to 1 - 3 of your favorite fellow bloggers

I have friends who blog but it was too hard to pick. I'm just putting some that I read religiously. Now that I work full-time I don't have as much time to read. I barely have time to write.

Smitten Kitchen

Mimi Smartypants

Post Secret

8.How did you come to be a follower of mine and why do you follow me?

I met Ter on the SHARE discussion boards. She was always so nice and helped me through a horrible time. Honestly that time of my life is really foggy so all I know is that I somehow started reading her blog. Must have been linked from the SHARE site. (note from Ter: I probably harassed her "doyagottablogdoyadoyadoya?")

9.What, if anything, have you gained from reading from my blog?

I have friends who have found Ter's blog from mine, they don't know her but they always comment on how they are moved by reading her entries. I feel the same way. I've learned not to take life for granted. That you might not have as long with a loved one as you might think. Oh and I love her even more because she's Canadian!

10. Tell me the truth, you're going to brag to all your bloggy friends that you were my follower of the month, aren't you? ;)

Sister, I'm mailing out flyers!

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Thank you for being my Follower of the Month, Shea! I hope you enjoyed your time here.

Please go over to The Fascinating Girl and say hello to Shea!

If you are here from Shea's blog, Welcome! Please leave a comment so I know you were here. And should you be so inclined, please become a follower too!

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If you would like to be a Follower of the Month, all you have to do is email me! The Follower of the Month is posted the first Saturday of every month.

Follower of the Month - Jenners

September's Follower of the Month is Jenners. You may know Jenners from either of her blogs: Life With A Little One and More or Find Your Next Book Here.

Jenners has a odd sense of humor that makes readers come back again and again. Her blog posts can be thought provoking or laugh out loud funny. You just never know what you're going to get when you hop on over to Jenner's blogs. She might have a book review, a silly game or a humorous story. She often pokes fun at herself, and I think this makes readers relate to her.

Her book reviews are more detailed than mine, but they never give away the story. There have been many times she mentions a book that I never heard of or never would have thought to read if it hadn't been for her review. (But I still refuse to read the Vampire Books!) In fact, I am currently reading a book that I won from her giveaway! And that's another thing, she gives away alot of books!

And now, please give a warm welcome to Jenners!


(don't you just want to steal that cookie right out of her hands?)

1.What's your name?

Jenners (my secret Internet persona who is way more funny and quick-witted than my real self).

2.Tell us a little bit about you.

I'm 40ish (ok...I'm going to be 42 this month), and I have a son who is soon going to be 5. I'm a stay-at-home mom because I'm totally lucky to have a hard-working husband (never hurts to suck up, right?) who allows me to stay home and care for our son and maintain the household (which I do very shabbily, I might add -- the housekeeping -- not the child-rearing). I love chocolate, warm bread and reading. I'm a total nerd, and I have photographic proof (see my favorite posts).

3.When did you start blogging and why?

I started blogging in November 2008 because I felt like my brain was stagnating a bit being at home all the time. I needed a creative outlet and something that was "just for me." A friend gave me a link to her blog and when I saw it, I thought "I could totally do this." The rest -- as they say -- is history. (Well, that sounds a bit overblown but let's just say I now have two blogs and I blog way more often than the friend who inspired me.)

4.Tell us a bit about your blog(s).

Well, my "personal blog" is called Life With A Little One and More and is subtitled "The writings of a stay-at-home mom who found she had a lot to say." Although I include a lot of stuff about my family life, I also write about silly things and I like to play creative writing games. It definitely has a light, comic tone to it and sometimes I think it is more about the "More" in the title than the "Little One."

I also have a book blog called Find Your Next Book Here. I've always been an avid reader and I love to write and talk about books. When I first started blogging, I realized the book stuff might totally overtake my personal stuff so I created a separate blog just for the book stuff. It has been most rewarding -- I've gotten to interview authors, receive Advanced Reading Copies, and been exposed to more books and genres than I ever thought possible. The core of that blog is writing book reviews for all the books I read, but I've also gotten into participating in and hosting reading challenges.

5.Has blogging changed you or your outlook on life at all?

I think blogging has made me more confident in myself as a writer and as a person. The more I blog, the easier I find it to write. And I've been pleasantly surprised at the kind comments people leave me or people who stick around and read almost every post I write. Amazing really! It makes me feel like I have something worthwhile to say. And it has relieved a lot of the "stay at home mom boredom" I was experiencing.

6.Link us to 1 - 3 of your favorite posts from your own blog(s)

I think my "signature" post is "Evolution of A Nerd"

I've also had a lot of positive feedback on my advice for bloggers post called "Goldilocks and the Three Bloggers."

7.Link us to 1 - 3 of your favorite fellow bloggers.

Oh...that is so hard to do. I have so many blogs that I love. I'm just going to share a few that just jumped into my mind.

First of all, one of my favorite book blogs is ...a lovely shore breeze.Caite has a great grumpy sense of humor that just cracks me up -- I'll read anything she writes just because I enjoy her writing so much.

In the same category, I'm a big fan of Debbie over at Suburb Sanity

and I think Caitlin (your follower last month) should have a bazillion more readers than she does.

I could go on and on but I'll stop there. Just check out my blogroll!

8.How did you come to be a follower of mine and why do you follow me?

I'm pretty sure you contacted me one day after Yaya did a post where she thanked all her regular commenters and we were near each other on the list and you came over to say "hi." At least that is what I remember. Does that ring any bells with you? Anyway, I was so moved by your story and amazed that you had gone through so much but were still maintaining and going on with life. That inspires me and reminds me not to be such a complainer.

9.What, if anything, have you gained from reading from my blog?

Well, I have gained a new mission in life: to get you to read the Twilight books. I will succeed someday!

10. Tell me the truth, you're going to brag to all your bloggy friends that you were my follower of the month, aren't you? ;)

OF COURSE!!

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Thanks for following me Jenners!

If you are here from Jenner's blog(s) to read her interview, welcome. I hope you'll take some time to look around my blog and say hello. I would love to meet you too!

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You, too, can be a Folllower of the Month! All you have to do is email me and let me know you want to be interviewed! Follower of the Month interviews are posted the first Saturday of every month. It is a way to get to know my followers a little bit and introduce them to my other followers!

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Follower of the Month - Caitlin

The Follower of the Month for August is Caitlin from It's Spelled C-A-I-T-L-I-N.

Caitlin is this cutie patootie momma whose blog makes me smile when I'm having a bad day. Her son Joseph is the most adorable jack-o-lantern lookalike I've ever seen (inside joke!). Caitlin is also expecting her second child which can only mean her blog will become even more silly and will be even more photo-heavy in a few months from now.

Caitlin is also a very sweet and compassionate person, and often leaves touching comments on my blog. I am honored to have met Caitlin in bloggyville. And now I have the pleasure of introducing you all to Joseph's mom: CAITLIN!

1.What's your name?

Caitlin- and if you don't know how to spell it, just check out my blog title :)

2.Tell us a little bit about you.

I am 24 and live with my husband in Idaho. He does something with computers that I don't really understand. Software developing..? No one really knows what that means. We have a naughty little boy who will be 2 in November, and another one on the way. The fetus is sucking the life out of me, and really effecting my blogging habits- but I love it anyway. I stay at home with the kiddo, so that I can spend lots of time reading blogs on the computer. Oh yes, and raise him well.

3.When did you start blogging and why?

I started blogging almost a year ago. Initially, it was a way to record the things that I do and to post pictures for my family in Oregon to look at. Now, I just enjoy having someplace to be witty and sassy- where I can pretend that I have showered and that I am not wearing sweatpants.

4.Tell us a bit about your blog.

My blog is a mix of pictures of my kid, stories of our adventures, and the funny things that happen to me along the way. Living in Idaho, there are some funny things that happen out here in the sticks.

5.Has blogging changed you or your outlook on life at all?

I think that it has made me appreciate the little things more. Like, if Joseph is playing in the toilet, I run to get my camera so that I can blog about it, instead of getting upset.

6.Link us to 1 - 3 of your favorite posts from your own blog

Thursday's Culinary Adventure I don't know if this particular one is a favorite, per se, but my Culinary Adventures in general are a pretty fun ride.

Idaho's "Gems" Part 1 A perfect example of life in Idaho.

Miscommunication My husband and I have trouble talking at times. Which is maybe why we are having another kid.;)

7.Link us to 1 - 3 of your favorite fellow bloggers

Besides you, Ter? :)

In an attempt to keep all feelings un-hurt, I will only link to blogs that I love whose author's don't follow me. Or really know that I exist at all. Because I love all of my followers the same! (kiss! kiss!)

Mama' Losin' It

Finslippy

Greetings from the Jet Set

8.How did you come to be a follower of mine and why do you follow me?

Hmmm... I don't really remember. I think that I maybe found your through Jenners? (note from Ter: That sounds right - she featured me as a follower once) I started following you because I was so in awe of your strength and perseverance. I felt that I needed to see what happened next with this amazing woman!

9.What, if anything, have you gained from reading from my blog?

I have definitely learned to cherish the things in my life more. Even when Joseph makes me want to gouge my eyes out with a fork, (I've been there), your blog helps me to remember to stop and give him a hug instead.

10. Tell me the truth, you're going to brag to all your bloggy friends that you were my follower of the month, aren't you? ;)

Of course! Why else do you think I am doing this? :)

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Would YOU like to be a Follower of the month next month?

Just email me at
withanangelonmyshoulder {at} gmail{dot}com
to let me know!

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Do You Want To Be A Follower of The Month?

I just realized I do not have a follower of the month for August (nor the rest of the year). If you would like to be a featured follower the first Saturday of the month, please email me (My email can be found in my profile) using a subject line to indicate that you're wanting me to pick you!

edit: I have a follower for August...

Follower of the Month - Michelle's Path

This month's Follower of the Month is Michelle from Michelle's Path.

Michelle is an Air Force Wife and a very proud adoptive mom to Kayla. She leaves the sweetest comments on my blog and I'm happy to be getting to know her via bloggyville.

Everyone, please allow me to introduce you to Michelle:

1.What's your name?

Michelle Alessi

2.Tell us a little bit about you.

I am a 25 year old wife of an active duty Air Force E-6 currently deployed to Afghanistan, and proud adoptive mother to Kayla, my 10 month bundle of dreams of come true.

I met my husband when I was 15 and he was just 18. We parted ways when he joined the Air Force. Right before I graduated high school Nick asked me to marry him and my response was, "Of course." We were married 5 months later, after his first deployment to Kuwait. After being married for only 10 months we decided to start a family not knowing what was about to come our way. YEARS of failure, heartbreak, surgeries, near depression on many occasions for both Nick and I, a million injections, 9 Intra-uterine inseminations with donor sperm, 1 IVF, 2 miscarriages, 3 more deployments and much much more....we finally adopted our miracle baby Kayla Nicole at birth. And she is worth every second of the pain we went through. The Air Force now has us living on the tiny tropical island of Guam in the middle of the pacific ocean, and in the middle of seriously...nowhere.

3.When did you start blogging and why?

I started blogged on October of 2006. To begin with I did it to document our journey to us becoming pregnant. So I and our child could look back on it. Little did I know in the years ahead it would be bring me so many friends, lots of love and support and also become my 'therapy'.

4.Tell us a bit about your blog.

My blog consists of my every day life. My life as an Air Force wife and adoptive mother. It has my thoughts and feelings about just about everything except our birth mother. I choose to keep her identity and her life just that...HERS. I hope it brings strength to people that have been or are going through things that I have endured. I hope it lets people see that good things come. Dreams do happen. Life isn't ALL a down hill ride.

5.Has blogging changed you or your outlook on life at all?

YES, yes and yes. For one of many reasons: I look at so many things now in a better light by getting to know families that are not the same as mine. For example..I have many same sex couple friends that have babies and have tried as hard as Nick and I to get them. It makes me wish that everyone who has hate or ignorance in their hearts, could read and get to know my friends and know that they are normal people who eat, breathe, work, and love just as I do.

6.Link us to 1 - 3 of your favorite posts from your own blog

• Kayla's birth
• Kayla's official adoption day
• My letter to Aunt Deb after she passed away

7.Link us to 1 - 3 of your favorite fellow bloggers

Oh how it is so hard to choose only 3 of my favorite bloggers!

• Tammy's Journey who no matter what has been a great friend and stuck by me through everything from TTC, losing my 2 angel babies, Kayla's adoption...no matter what she was going through at the time. She is so very selfless.
• Mrs. R from The R House who is THE best adoption advocate that I know of and who provides countless information and support for adoption. Not to mention her 2 handsome adopted boys and their fabulous birth mothers. Oh man....only 3...this is so hard! I guess it would have to be...
• Meg's blog All About Austin Her and her partner Kris went through so much to get their little handsome edible Austin here into the world. It was wonderful to watch their dreams unfold and fall into reality. Their little Austin was born just weeks after Kayla so it is fun to watch them grow together through blogs.

8.How did you find my blog and why do you follow me?

Ok, I'm a total blonde sometimes. I dont know remember how I found your blog. I'm sure it was through someone else's blog. I follow you because I wish so much that I could physically be a friend to you and not just a friend through a blog. Somedays I just want to go knock on your door and give you a hug and let you know that there are people that care about you. It just breaks my heart to see that someone as yourself going through what God has given to you and for no apparent reason. Even though I do believe EVERYTHING happens for a reason. We just don't know it right away.

9.What, if anything, have you gained from reading from my blog?

To take everyday seriously, and love and cherish each moment. That you could lose anyone at anytime and what I have is so very precious. Thank you Ter for reminding me of that each and every time I read your blog.

10. Tell me the truth, you're going to brag to all your bloggy friends that you were my follower of the month, aren't you? ;)

HECK YEAH!

Follower of the Month: Ya Ya

The Follower of the Month will be featured the first Saturday of every month. It is a chance to get to know my followers a little bit better and to introduce them to you.

June's Follower of the Month is quite popular in the blogging world. You probably already know her a little bit. Her name is YaYa from YaYa Stuff!

YaYa is a crazy-fun blogger who also hits serious notes when it comes to pregnancy losses and infertility. Her warm spirit and wacky sense of humor draws people to her blog. I can almost guarantee that once you meet YaYa you'll be a regular visitor!

She and her husband are currently trying to adopt, so please keep them in your thoughts and hope this works out for them. I think they'll make awesome parents.

And now without further adieu, here's YaYa!


(click image to go to YaYa's Blog)

1.What's your name?

"Alicia but many people call me "Yaya""

2.Tell us a little bit about you.

"I'm a feisty redhead who knows what I want in life and will stop at nothing to get it."

3.When did you start blogging and why?

"I started in May of 2008 as a way for family and friends to keep up with our busy life. When I endured another miscarriage my blog then shifted into a way for me to raise infertility and miscarriage awareness, as well as still sharing tidbits from our life."

4.Tell us a bit about your blog.

"The premise of my blog is all that Josh and I are going through to have children. It's a long road for us. But hopefully soon we will be able to adopt! I also like to use my blog to write about any randomness that comes to mind (which happens a lot)."

5.Has blogging changed you or your outlook on life at all?

"Absolutely. Blogging has brought me so much in life in the past year. 'Friends' who are there for me through thick and thin-I can't even say the same about my 'In Real Life' friends for that. I've also realized that writing is very therapeutic for me. And having a voice in raising awareness about infertility and miscarriage makes me feel better about the path I am living in life, like I'm making some sort of a difference in this giant world."

6.Link us to 1 - 3 of your favorite posts from your own blog:

Adoption Home Study Visit 1

This Is How We Get Intimate

7.Link us to 1 - 3 of your favorite fellow bloggers

Oh gosh, there are so many! I follow over 250 blogs and faithfully read all of them so how can I pick! I guess I'll just share one. Tabitha from 'I Choose Bliss'. I always leave her blog smiling.

8.How did you find my blog and why do you follow me?

"I found your blog through Stepping Stones comment section. I follow you because you are endearing. And you are one of the bloggers I get comfort from through emails. You're there to laugh with me or cry with me!"

9.What, if anything, have you gained from reading from my blog?

"You've taught me to cherish life. Cherish my husband and don't take my time with him for granted. You've also showed me that I am not alone in my grief over my babies."

10. Tell me the truth, you're going to brag to all your bloggy friends that you were my follower of the month, aren't you? ;)

"You know it!"

Thank you for a wonderful interview YaYa!

Do YOU want to be a Follower of the Month?? All you have to do is Email me and let me know! My email address can be found in my profile.

Follower of the Month (May) - I Am Me

On the first Saturday of each month, I will feature one Follower of the Month. This is a chance for me to introduce you to some of the people who are following me, and to get to know them better.

This month's Follower-of-the-Month is Emalee from I Am Me.

Emalee is a fellow angel mom who I met here in Bloggyville. Her blog is sweet and full of love for her son Kenner. Emalee has the most adorable little pup named Meli who my Emma wishes lived close by so they could play together. I wish Utah was closer... I love that Emalee knows sign language!

Without further ado, may I introduce you to Emalee!

1. What's your name?

Emalee

2.Tell us a little bit about you.

I am 30 1/2. I have been married for 9 years. I am a mommy to a beautiful angel Kenner. I love the color green. I like shoes and purse and I now have a sock fetish. I hate wearing shoes but LOVE sandals. Flip Flops especially. I have a puppy named Meli (maylee or Meh-le). She is almost 11 weeks old. I live in utah, I have lived her my whole life. I am the middle child. One older sister sarah and One younger brother Jeremy. My brother is married to Jen who I love also, with 3 beautiful children whom I love as if they were my own. Ian 8 Alene 6 Ashley 5. My parents and sister and brother live in Arizona. I love my family. I have some close friends, one of them my best friend Her name is Rachel. I call my sister. We are the Kay sisters. I have a lead foot and enjoy to speed! I work for the goverment, IRS. I also have a small part time job at a grocery store. Up unitl Oct 2008 I was going to school. I want to be a sign language interpreter. I have always just wanted to learn sign language, they didn't offer it in High School so I took french! I don't know any french. I LOVE pretty much any music, NOTHING hard and nothing too rap....LOL Ummm......I guess that is it.

3.When did you start blogging and why?

I started my blog in March of 2008 for fun. To update my friends and family of the comings and goings of my life!

4.Tell us a bit about your blog.

My blog has changed a lot since November 2008. I started for fun and now its my outlet my way of expressing how I feel through the loss of Kenner. I feel so much better when I write stuff down. SO my blog is a journey of sorts a Journey on which many other women have traveled. Sometimes its a LONG and HARD DARK road to go down, BUT right now I see the light at the end. IT keeps getting brighter. I don't know if this road will ever end but at least its not as dark as it was 5 and a half months ago.

5.Has blogging changed you or your outlook on life at all?

Yes, I never know how many women have lost babies. I knew it happened I just didn't know it was a commen I guess for lack of a better word it was.

6.Link us to 1 - 3 of your favorite posts from your own blog

My Story

Unconditional Love

Size

Ter~ I can't say that they are my favorite but I when I read them I feel my emotion in them .

7.Link us to 1 - 3 of your favorite fellow bloggers

JUST 3???? Yours is one but I choose 3 other ones I like to read. I have way more that I like but alas you only asked for 1 to 3 SO here you go!

It really is, all about me Roxane, is just funny. I was her first follower and we became fast friends.

Stepping Stones I get a lot of information on this blog about pregnancy and infant loss. Emily just knows!

YaYa Stuff YAYA enough said!!!

8.How did you find my blog and why do you follow me?

WOW I think I found you off of stepping stones when I first lost kenner, It was before I followed so, I just kept going back and forth between sites. THEN I figured out that I could follow SO I started to follow you because you, just touch my heart!

9.What, if anything, have you gained from reading from my blog?

I have gained a since of strength from you. You have walked the path before me and I know, in the end I will be ok. You have suffered WAY more then I could ever imagine and here you are alive and wanting more from life. Wanting to move forward from your losses. I just know that if you can do it, I can!!!

10. Tell me the truth, you're going to brag to all your bloggy friends that you were my follower of the month, aren't you? ;)

OF COURSE!!!!!

Thank You, Emalee, for being my Follower-of-the-Month! It was great to get to know more about you!

If YOU would like to be featured as a Follower-of-the-Month, please send me an email and I'll put you on the list! Otherwise, I may have to harass you until you give in!

Follower of The Month : *Just Jen*

Welcome to my first ever Follower of the Month post!

The Follower of the Month will be posted the first Saturday of each month.

*Just Jen* from Because I Could Never Keep Up With A Diary offered to be my guinea pig.

*Just Jen*'s blog is full of random jokes and memes. But before you click on her blog, make sure your kiddies are out of the room. Some of the posts are not quite for the under-18 crowd but I can almost guarantee you'll find yourself laughing or, perhaps, blushing. Either way, you'll probably find yourself going back for more!

I debated how to do the Follower of the Month segments and in the end I decided that I would ask my Follower of the Month a few questions. For now, the questions will remain the same for each follower, but perhaps I will change it up later.

Without further ado, I introduce you to *Just Jen*!




1. What's your name?

*Just Jen*

2. Tell us a little bit about you.

Well, I am a mom to a nine and a half year old football and baseball star. I'm hoping that he will get a dual scholarship to college to play both sports. LOL Come on! A mom can dream, right? I am finishing a degree in business management and I graduate in May. In the last two years of working on this degree I have been single :-( but by my choice. I work 50+ hours of week, go to school full time and have a son who is active in sports, I HARDLY have time to date! But I am hopeful that my "status" will change soon after I graduate in May.

3. When did you start blogging and why?

I started blogging on my MySpace page back in 2005. It was just as random as my current blog. I posted poems, jokes, rants, raves and a quote of the day. Oh look! You just reminded me! I've been wanting to start up my quote of the day over at my new blog!! I started blogging here 12/3/08 after I stumbled upon someone's blog from a Google search. And then I was lost in Blogger land for HOURS! I decided right then that I was going to make a blog page here. I just do it for fun. I enjoy reading other people's blogs more than blogging myself.

4. Tell us a bit about your blog.

My blog has NO rhyme or reason to it! It's totally random! It can be funny and serious, happy and sad. Anything goes on my blog. I do MeMe's all week, I have done a review, I just write whatever I feel like writing about! It's total randomness though, no more, no less! LOL

5. Has blogging changed you or your outlook on life at all?

Blogging has allowed me to open up about some things to Blogland that I may not share with normal friends. I am not very good at communicating, but if I can put it on paper (errrr, online) then I am good to go!! I have definitely learned how to NOT judge people based on what they write! lol

6. Link us to 1 - 3 of your favorite posts from your own blog and tell us why they are your favorites.

I don't think I have any FAVORITE posts per se. So I will list just three different ways of blogging for me. We have the serious, the funny and the typical weekly MeMe.

I Believe #8

I Shaved my Legs for THIS???

Thursday Thirteen - Edition "J"

7.Link us to 1 - 3 of your favorite fellow bloggers and tell us why you chose them.

Oh wow! I love so many of them! How do I pick just THREE when I follow 90??? LOL Well, since you are asking the questions, I will not include your blog, it's one of my faves! But here are three that I read on the daily......

A Mom on Spin

I love this blog, she has THREE teenage girls! YIKES! She reminds me a lot of my mom when I was a teenager and probably what I will be like in 3 - 8 more years when my son is a teenager. Although, she reminds me to thank God every day for a BOY! lol

Huh? The Blonde Goddess is Confused...

This girl makes me laugh until I cry in one post and then makes me cry until I cry some more in another post. I started following her a while back because of a story that I could totally relate to. I love her!

Postcards from the Edge

I love this blog because I feel like this girl and I were sisters separated at birth! LOL We like a lot of the same things and she makes me laugh my ass off on the daily! Love her too!

I could definitely list another 10 - 20 blogs that I HAVE to read every day, but for once in my life, I will follow the rules and only list three. LOL

8. How did you find my blog(s) and why do you follow me?

I remember I stumbled upon your other blog - One Bear Hug at a Time. I remember the first post of yours that I read, I believe it was titled He Looked Sad. I remember there was a disclaimer that it was a post that may be hard for some people to read. (Ter: She is talking about This Post) I began reading. Halfway through the post, with tears pouring down my face, I stood up from my desk and went to close my office door. After I finished reading that post, I went back to the very first post that you had written on that blog and I read and cried and read and cried. I did nothing more that morning at work other than read your blog.

We do not know each other in real life, though I wished we did. Even though you refuse to admit it, you are an AMAZING woman! You are strong and you are a fighter! When I think about something that may be happening in my life and how unfair I think that God might be right now, I think about you and how you have lost the two MOST IMPORTANT people in your lives. I pray for happiness ever night. I pray that you can get through the pain one day.

While I have never been married nor lost a long-time boyfriend, I have lost a baby. I lost a baby at 13 weeks. I can relate on a tiny level with you. And I think that tiny piece draws me closer to you. While I don't always comment on your blogs, I read them, ever single one you post! I love you! *HUGZ*

9. What, if anything, have you gained from reading from my blog(s)?

I have learned that no matter WHAT God deals me, I can make it through. Like I mentioned above, even though we don't know each other outside of blogland, you are on my mind. When the going gets tough, my mind thinks of you.

10. Tell me the truth, you're going to brag to all your bloggy friends
that you were my follower of the month, aren't you? ;)

Heck yah! I am definitely going to blog about it and link-up so that everyone can read it and read your blog!! Thanks for the opportunity!!

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Thanks *Just Jen* for being my very first Follower of the Month, and for your wonderful answers! I admit I blushed a few times!

If you would like to be a Follower of the Month, send me an email! Otherwise, I might harass you, and you don't want that, do you?


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