Versatile Blogger Award

Mary over at Adoption & Foster Care, my personal experience recently gave me the versatile blogger award. Thanks Mary! I don't usually accept awards, but decided to have fun with it this time. I do try to keep my blog quite versatile, as I only like to keep one blog going, so here you will find an eclectic mix of ramblings on adoption, foster care, mothering, orphans and christian issues, such as caring for orphans, and other extreme needs in our world, such as the child sex trafficking I posted about below. I also try to keep updates going about what is going on around our farm, our homeschool, and other life events. So..I do agree this blog is versatile!

The rules include linking back to the person who awarded you, which I did above. The next rule is listing 7 things about yourself, so here goes:

1) I hate working out. I strive to work out every day, and it never gets easier. I have a route I have walked for years now, and part of it is uphill. That hill never gets easier. I even change things up, and try many different ways to get exercise and I despise them all. Anytime I am working out, or exercising, there is almost always somewhere else I would rather be, or something else I would rather be doing.

2) To alleviate my pain around exercising and working out, I decided to take a different approach and encorporate my children as much as possible. Lately we have been going on walks together, they love it, and it's been much more enjoyable for me. It also helps them learn to enjoy this type of exercise in the outdoors, which is so important.

3) I despise artificial sweeteners. I learned about how poisonous they were way back in college when taking a nutrition class, and I went cold turkey that day, giving up my diet pe*psi. It only takes a few moments to do your research on the harmful affects of aspartame and sucralose. I cringe when I see someone pick up a can of diet c*oke or any other diet soda. I just want to take it from them and ask, "don't you realize what you're putting into your body?"

4) A couple years ago I was assigned to an online health coach through my health insurance organization. The woman I worked with was wonderful. To this day I still hear her voice almost every time I go to eat something I know I shouldn't. "Only put into your mouth what will nourish your cells, and bring life to your body, Michelle", "You can do it, eat what's pleasing to the Lord, those foods that God made naturally, full of life giving nutrients". I literally think of those words all the time when I make food choices!

5) I miss my grandma...the most wonderful christian woman, who introduced me to the Lord, and always spoke edifying, uplifting words to me. She was strong in her faith, and I am one family member her legacy will continue on through.

6) I need my world to be in order. Chaos, constant loud noise, and bright lights put me in a downhill spiral. I have sensory issues. Orderliness, tranquility, calming music and low lighting=peace for me.

7) Although I am teaching all the girls to take quiet time each day, I seem to only arrive at #6 at the end of each day, after the kiddos are all in bed. I am so thankful for my new master suite, where I can go to relax and recharge...I call it my sanctuary. I will be showing pictures soon, as it is almost complete!

The last rule is to pay it forward and award the versatile blogger award to 15 bloggers, however I will only be able to go with 5 like Mary did...so here they are:

Notes from the frugal trenches-a downshifting journey
Simple pieces of daily living...

Marmee's Pantry-For Such a Time as This
Muckboots-n-Aprons
2Surrender&Serve