the liebster award - a way to discover new blogs

A few months ago, I started reading the blog All Things Life & Air Force Wife.  I've never met Livia, the blogger, but she was a new Air Force wife and the more I read, the more I wanted to read.  Last week, Livia was nominated for the Liebster Award (more about that below) and then chose five nominees, including me!

The Liebster Award is a way to discover new blogs and to share the blogs that you read.  When nominated, you are given some questions to answer.  Then you write your own questions and nominate 3-5 bloggers (who have less than 3,000 readers).  This isn't an official award...just a way to find new blogs and share the ones you love.

Here are the questions that Livia posted for her nominees, along with my answers.

1. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment and why?
   Finishing college on time, I suppose.  I got really sick my junior year and had a lot of talks with my parents and the doctors about staying home for a semester or two to figure out my health.  I chose not to and (with so, so much grace from people who made accommodations for me) I was able to go back that semester.

2.  What was your favorite item as a child?

   Hands down, my Cabbage Patch baby, Taylor.  Taylor now has a permanent place in our home among my son's toys (sitting right next to "Beary Bear" and "Little Baby").

3. Who do you consider to be your celebrity crush?
    Eh...I've never really considered it.  But after some thought and discussion with my husband, I've decided it probably a toss up between Brandi Carlile, Patrick Dempsey and Taye Diggs.

4. What is your favorite comfort food?
   Freshly baked anything (homemade) with a glass of cold milk.  Right now I'm dreaming about pumpkin cream cheese muffins and hand kneaded honey-wheat bread (but because of Whole30, I'm definitely not having anything like that for at least two weeks!).

5. If money was no object, what would you do?

   I would move my family to a different country every 2-3 years and settle down in a little town.  During the day, I would divide my time between exploring the city as a family, studying in beautiful libraries/taking seminary classes, volunteering in an orphanage and going to cooking school.  Along with about 30 other things.  ;)  I have big dreams!

  

6. What is the best piece of advice someone has given you and you would like to pass on?

  Oh man!  I have honestly considered doing a blog series about this subject!  I must just have a lot of awesome, inspiring friends/teachers/mentors because they've passed on so much wisdom.  Here's one of my favorites though, pertaining to Air Force life.

Marlena Graves was my RD in college, but she was much more than an RD to me.  She was a mentor and a friend.  She and her family are still so dear to me.  When Caleb and I got engaged, I was discussing the challenges of being married to someone in the military, especially when it came to moving often.  For instance, I really wanted to go to seminary (a GOOD seminary), but, of course, the Air Force isn't going to take that into consideration when they move us. :)

When Marlena and I talked about this, she said that it would be easy to use moving often as an excuse to not get involved.  Three years can seem like a short amount of time, but Marlena reminded me that Jesus' whole ministry was three years long.  Think of all that can happen in three years!!  I love that advice and, after living here for only a year and a half, we've gotten involved and gotten connected to people.  I'm glad that I had the encouragement to use our time wisely.

7.  What is the story behind your blog title and/or why did you start blogging?

   My blog title is a play on my last name (Glorioso-Mays) and the fact that sometimes you look back at your life and think about how you wouldn't have planned what happened, but sometimes that's a wonderful thing.  

I started blogging in college.  I was getting burned out writing papers all the time and just wanted somewhere to write for enjoyment.  Five years later, I'm still enjoying it although I wish I felt more free - I need to spend less time thinking about who isn't going to like my position on topics or how unqualified I am and just more time writing.  Analysis paralysis. 

8.  Are you a purse or shoe person?  Or neither?  Why?

   Shoes.  I guess.  If I had to pick one.  I definitely like shoes, but I am not the type of person who spends a lot of money on shoes or even has that many.  I just like them to be cute and practical (read: flats).

  

9.  Walmart or Target?  Why?

   Target, all the way!  Target is a suburban mom's paradise.  You can get food, household items and cute clothes all in the same place - AND THEY HAVE STARBUCKS!  Whoever thought of that was truly brilliant.

10.  Favorite vacation spot?

   That depends.  If we're going just to relax, I'd chose somewhere like my family's condo in Florida.  It's nice to have your own place, lay out on the beach and just enjoy your vacation.  On the other hand, I love to learn and see new places, so visiting a historical site or a city would also be fun (just more busy and stressful with a toddler in tow).

My nominees are:

Jordan

Melanie

Elizabeth

Erica

Livia (tagback)

And here are my questions for them:

1.  Congratulations!  You're now the owner of a new puppy!  What breed is it and what is it's name?

2.  What's your favorite reality TV show?  (Project Runway?  Anyone??)

3.  It's cold outside so you grab a mug and make yourself a cup of your favorite warm drink.  What is it?

4. You've been banished from the United States and have to choose another country to live in for the rest of your life.  What country would you chose and why?

5.  You've been given $5000 with the stipulation that you must give it away to a charity/someone in need.  Who would you give it to and why?

6.  It's Friday night and it's the end of a very hard week.  What do you do to relax and refocus?