It's not a baby, but it's something...

I've been reading blogs for almost a year now, admiring those cute awards that people give/get. For some time now, I've been wanting to make one of my own, but I'm just clueless about how to do it. Oh, I've tried; believe me, but I finally decided that I would rather pull out my fingernails than continue. That led me to my dear bloggy friend, Jen. Jen blogs at Cheaper than Therapy and belongs to CrumbSnatchers, a group that whips up creative signatures and buttons all the time (well, when they're not wiping butts, scrubbing floors, and making lunch), and I only had to twist her skinny little arm part-way before she agreed to make this award for me!It's it awesome? I came up with this award because I wanted to recognize bloggers who make a difference in people's emotions with their writing. How many times have you read a blog and laughed out loud, (maybe til you cried) and thought, "Wow. I really needed that today!" Laughter (and tears) are some of the best stress relievers, and for this reason, I truly value the writing talents of so many bloggers, but the first one I would like to give this award to is Martin, at Xbox4NappyRash.

Martin and his wife, ET, are living in Holland (the country, not Michigan). He writes about their struggle to become parents and does so with tenderness and humor that touches me. Coming All Over Doctor Phil is one example, as is My Boys and Me. Even though I have no frame of reference for infertility, I enjoy reading Martin's blog, because he is just so endearing and (sorry)entertaining.

It's not all about baby-making; Martin can make me laugh at the simplest of things, too, as in The Part-Time Transvestite. He also wrote a poignant post about his mom here.

This award will come as a surprise to Martin; I've only been reading his blog for about a month, and we have never really had a conversation, so I'm excited to let him know. This guy is due for some good news, even if it's just that he now has a new piece of wall art that doesn't exactly fit his decor (He'll have to think of a way to politely decline it or put it where it won't clash.) Hope this makes you smile today, Martin; it's your turn :)

There are other folks who deserve this award; you know who they are. Feel free to take it and make someone's day :) All I ask is that you please share who you gave it to, so we can all enjoy their blog (send a link, and I'll put it here). Let's share the love...

P.S. Check out Angie's John Deere Mom blog today! She dedicated her post to me!!