Honest Scrap Award & Ceremony

Honest Scrap Award! I always wondered how people got all those award buttons on their blogs. Now I know.

Many thanks to Monica Crumley who writes Monkey Musings at http://www.monicacrumley.blogspot.com/ for reading my scribblings and honoring me with the "Honest Scrap" award. At first glance I thought, perhaps, it was given in error as I don't scrapbook (not in public anyway) though many bloggers I know do. Then I came to realize that this award is not necessarily about scrapbooking. If you look at the definition of the word scrap, it means "fragment". God knows each of us puts real and honest fragments of our lives into our blogging. And, while we each blog for diverse reasons, the one thing we all have in common is our affinity and appreciation for the written word. I guess, that's what this award is all about.... Sharing honest fragments of our lives such that they touch other people. So honored by Monica, in turn, I am bound by the rules of acceptance as follows:

1) Say thanks and give a link to the presenter of the award
Thanks again, Monica at http://www.monicacrumley.blogspot.com/

2) Share "ten honest things" about myself.
OK, you want honesty, here goes:

1. I don't do enough for and with my boys now that they're in full-time preschool. I know a lot of us Moms of children with special needs feel this way but I secretly think I'm the only one really not doing enough... That is, when they get home after being gone for 8 hours Monday through Friday, mostly I just let them be kids without special needs. Often I think I should be utilizing that little slice of time more wisely (instead of blogging, for instance), for more lessons, more structure, more repetition of needed skills, more routine. But, I don't! I desperately want them to be kids first.... But, I could be wrong and that's where the real guilt trip and conflict come in for me. This is hard, isn't it?
2. I miss doing some of the fun things I did before I had kids... like SCUBA diving, kayaking, running, spontaneous travel and playing 2-man beach volley ball... Heck, sometimes I even miss working in corporate America with all the built in rewards and recognition (don't get much of that as a SAHM). I know I'll get back to at least some of these things at some point (and I might be sorry when I do). But, I miss them a little bit now. It's OK, you don't have to fix it by suggesting I get a baby sitter and go do these things... I CHOOSE every day to temporarily give these and other activities up in favor of focusing my attention on my children for now. They are only young once and they need it... and I will live to dive another day. I just hope I'm not 80 before that day comes, LOL. Thankfully, I am starting to add some of my old favorite activities back into my life little by little as the kids get older. But, I still miss the freedom of doing these things when the tide is right rather than waiting to indulge myself until the kids are at school or in bed. Note: I'm just being honest here for the Honest Blogger Award!
3. I think my 3 kids -- 2 of whom happen to have been blessed with an extra 21st chromosome -- are absolutely phenomenal and I want everyone in the whole world to meet them so they can be changed forever for the better, the way I have been and everyone else who meets them. Of course, I'm their mom so I'm supposed to feel that way. And, I certainly hope you all feel that way about your kids. But, I secretly think it's more than that for me (LOL, I do)! So, you're all invited to my house to meet my boys and my old soul and see what I mean.
4. My outside doesn't match my inside. That is, my physical self is not compatible with my psychological self. I had always been a very physically active person and the medically-prescribed modified-bed rest during the boys' pregnancy put an end to all that. Since starting my family 8 years ago, I've gained 30 lbs and I hate it hate it hate it. But, as the kids get older and a bit more independent, I've begun to work in more activity which means it's just a matter of time... It's a balancing act I've not perfected yet. It'll come (I hope).
5. I am a very spiritual person with unshakable faith in God but I am not religious despite being raised Roman Catholic. And, my God is a nondenominational, multi-religion conglomerate God who is all-loving and all-forgiving. I don't go in for any of that God-fearin', hell-threatening stuff.
6. I'm a rule follower! I believe that to maintain a civilized society we need to follow the rules we, effectively, put in place in this part of the world. I'm talking about the laws, rules and guidelines of our society! Of course, claiming I'm a rule follower flies in the face of #5 above because I don't follow many of the "rules" the Catholic church set down (not talking about the 10 Commandments here). I don't avoid eating meat on Fridays and I don't spend an hour in church each week... but I do wear my seat belt and when I have to talk on the phone when driving, I use a hands-free gadget to do so. [Having written this it seems to me that maybe the former "rules" are meant to address the well-being of the spirit and the latter address the well being of the flesh. Interesting thought... I'll have to over analyze that and get back to you.] I also believe in people suffering the consequences of their behavior which speaks to both sides, the flesh and the spirit. No, I don't follow the rules because I'm afraid of getting caught and being punished (the flesh). I follow them because I feel bad when I don't follow them (the spirit).
7. That said, my spirit is willing but, sometimes, my flesh is weak! I am only human!
8. My husband calls me "the idea guy" because I think WAAAY outside of the box to come up with creative solutions for the problems I encounter in every aspect of my life. That is, I tend to over analyze and go way beyond "normal" thinking to solve the problem at hand. It's like creative problem solving on steroids and I don't mind breaking social mores or inane societal rules when I'm operating outside the box (the box being the normal rules and solutions, I guess)... as long as the outcome benefits someone near and dear to me, or someone in need, without hurting anyone else in the process. That last part's key! While this may contradict # 6 above -- rule follower -- I do come up with some seriously creative ways to solve otherwise seemingly insurmountable problems. It works for me.
9. I think my Buddhist leanings are getting in the way of getting things done around this old house. I fear I may have recently violated the "First, do no harm" and "that worm could be some body's mother" (we're talking old souls here) teachings. Seriously! In an attempt to create a privacy hedge, I have been trying to commit 20 donated (http://my.freecycle.org/) Rose of Sharon bushes/trees to the ground beside my barn. Unfortunately, I spend more time saving all of God's creatures than getting trees in the ground. So far, I've rescued literally countless worms and relocated at least 15 slugs, 6 snails and more than a few BIG (I'm talking quarter-sized bodies), hairy, black mama spiders with eggs. Collective awwww? No? But, only 5 trees made it to their eternal resting places. Not sufficient progress but I can't just ignore all of these newly evicted creatures in the process. What to do? What to do?
10. I am a walking contradiction -- as evidenced by the honest little tidbits I've shared above -- with a few wild curve balls thrown in for good measure (read: might be dipping a toe in the crazy gene pool)... But, I am absolutely loving my life!

BONUS ROUND: Talking too much translates to writing too much! Guilty!

3) Present this award to 7 others whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me.

1. Finnian's Journey at http://finniansjourney.blogspot.com/: parenting (including a child with Down syndrome), acceptance and advocacy and life in general



2. Hanzely Clan News at http://hanzelyclan.blogspot.com/: parenting (including identical twins with a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism), acceptance and advocacy and life in general



3. Beneath the Wings at http://beneaththewings.blogspot.com/: parenting (including a child with Down syndrome), acceptance and advocacy and life in general



4. Mothering By the Seat of My Pants at http://momseatofpants.blogspot.com/: parenting (including a child with Down syndrome), acceptance and advocacy and life in general



5. Bubble Gum on My Shoe at http://snowdawegners.blogspot.com/: parenting (including a child on the autistic spectrum), acceptance and advocacy and life in general



6. White Trash Mom at http://whitetrashmom.com/: laugh-out-loud funny parenting and life in general



7. The Happiness Project at http://happiness-project.com/: thought provoking, helps me stay focused on my own happiness

4) Tell those 7 people that they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP AWARD and inform them of these guidelines in receiving it.

Hey all you bloggers, here I come! When you've linked back here to claim your award and check out the rules [that I so love to follow], copy and paste it back to your posting place -- if you feel like displaying your trophy and carrying forward the good will -- update it with your own answers and publish away...

Thanks again, Monica! Now I have one of those cool buttons on my blog too!