Liebster Award

Thank you Staci at Following the Leader passing the Liebster to me.  The Liebster is a blog award for up and coming bloggers.

RULES

This award is given to new or up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The award is then passed along to other bloggers in the same category to help spread the word and support one another.

1. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you.

2. Then, create 11 new questions for the bloggers you pass the award to.

3. Choose 11 new bloggers (with less than 200 followers) to pass the award to and link them in your post.

4. Go back to their page and tell them about the award.

5. No tag backs.

Questions from Staci at Following the Leader:

What is something you hope to achieve in 2013?

 Since losing Avery, I feel like my life is empty.  Not simply in the fact that she isn’t here but I feel like I don’t have passion or purpose.  I want to find something that I am passionate about in 2013 and I want to peruse it.  I’m still not sure what that will look like in the long run, but I know I want to DO something that I feel strongly about.  Right now, I believe it will be related to baby loss or SIDS in some way but I am opening it up for God to lead me down the path.  We shall see what He has planned.  Stay tuned to find out more!

What is the best advice you could give?

 Don’t take the people you love for granted.  Enjoy each second you have with them, tell them you love them, forgive quickly and don’t stress over the little things. 

Favorite hobby? Why do you like it?

Right now, writing is my favorite hobby.  I’m not saying I’m great at it but it is a great way for me to release my feelings.  Many times I’ll start out writing thinking I feel one way but by the end, I have taken a completely different direction and feel completely different.  Writing has been my release, my therapy for the past 7 months.  It’s really been the only hobby I’ve done consistently.

 What is your favorite book and why?

My current favorite book is “I Will Carry You,” by Angie Smith.  In the past, I’ve always read senseless novels that were simply for entertainment (I’ll admit, I loved the Twilight series).  Since losing Avery, I have read a lot of books on grief.  Angie’s book was the first that really resonated with me.  Not only was it heartfelt and real but she was able to bring me away from my anger with God when I felt like He abandoned me.  Her book uses scriptures that spoke to her during her time of grief and I was finally able to see that God didn’t leave me and the He is the same always.  I highly recommend reading this book, it helped me turn a new corner in my journey.

What is your favorite "new" movie?

My favorite new movie at the moment is Pitch Perfect.  It’s cute, funny and has fun music.  It’s a movie where you don’t have to think.  The characters are outrageous and it had me cracking up.

What is your favorite "classic" movie?

This is a hard one!  There are so many movies I love.  To stick with a true classic, I’d have to say one of my favorite classic movies is Beauty and the Beast.  I’ve loved this movie since I was a little girl.  Belle was always my favorite Disney princess.  I love that it teaches to look to the inside to find ones true character.  I very much looked forward to growing my Disney collection and watching this with Avery.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday.  I love the music, the decorations, the colder weather and most importantly, the greatest gift of all time, the birth of our Savior.  Christmas reminds me of the hope we have for the future.  The peace I have in knowing I will be reunited with Avery one day. 

What electronic device can you not live without?

 My cell phone.  I feel completely lost without it although it is nice to put it away sometimes and tune out the world.

 What is your favorite Non-Profit Organization?

This is a hard one; there are so many great Non-Profits out there.  I’d have to say, right now, I love Molly Bears.  They do amazing work for baby loss families.  Personally, receiving my Avery Bear was a very healing day for me.  To be able to hold and cuddle this beautiful bear, made with love and care to the exact weight of my Avery filled my heart with joy.  I wish I could sew so I could help make bears as their waiting list is extremely long and it pains me to know there are many families who will be waiting for months for their bear.  I highly recommend checking this organization out and donating if possible.

 

Where is your favorite place to shop?

 I may have an addiction to Target.  When I was pregnant, I was there ALL the time.  My obsession has dropped off substantially but I still go at least once a week.  I love their clothes, their home décor, etc.  I could spend hours and thousands in Target.  I don’t go as often lately as I generally avoid public places but I still really enjoy shopping there.

 If you could travel anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go and why?

 Do I have to pick just one?  There are so many places on my bucket list.  This question would probably have a different answer depending on the day I answered it.  Today, the answer is Fiji.  I’d love to go to Fiji to simply relax and enjoy the beauty.  I can picture myself on a hammock on the deck of a bungalow sitting over the turquoise blue waters.  The water is a calming place for me.  I’d love to go there to reflect and relax.  Near the water is where I’ve really felt the most at peace and most connected with Avery.  So I think Fiji would be perfect. 

 I am passing the Liebster on to the following amazing ladies from some of my favorite blogs:

·         Catherine at Twinkle of Light:  http://twinkleoflight.blogspot.com/

·         Jen at Dear Luke:  http://dearbabyluke.blogspot.com/

·         Melanie at Confessions of a Twin Momma:  http://confessionsoftwinmomma.blogspot.com/

·         Miranda at Learning to Dance in the Rain:  http://msellers3589.blogspot.com/

·         Helz at My Bubba:  http://myweebubba.blogspot.com/

·         Denise at This Momma’s Journey:  http://thismommasjourney.blogspot.com/

·         Calypso’s Mommy at Hiding Scars in my Yarn:  http://scarsinmyyarn.blogspot.com/

·         Brandi at Avery Kate we will see you at the Gate:  http://brandisoileau.blogspot.com/

·         Kerin at For the Love of Angels:  http://fortheloveofangels.blogspot.com/

·         Lindsay at Traces of Ayden:  http://thejonesfamily52009.blogspot.com/

·         Em at After Eva:  http://aftereva.blogspot.com/

Questions for the new Liebster nominees:

1.       What are your hopes for 2013?

2.       What is your favorite quote or motto to live by?

3.       What is your favorite dessert?

4.       Through your grief process, what organizations have helped you most?

5.       What hobby do you participate in most often?

6.       What is your favorite television show?

7.       Describe your perfect Saturday.

8.       If you could change professions, would you?  If not, why?  If you would, what would you become and why?

9.       Where do you spend most of your time online?  What is the attraction?

10.   If you won a trip to any place in the world and you had to leave tomorrow where would you go and who would you take with you?

11.   Why do you blog?