This feature was started by the wonderful Parajunkee.  If you want to join this feature, go to her blog and add your name to the Linkylink.  Or if you just want to see what others have written for this feature, there is a great list of other blogs who are doing this.  Just go to Parajunkee's blog.

 

Today we are talking about the people who inspire you (The description in the challenge says blogging inspiration, but I am expanding it to include life inspiration).

 

1.  Work Inspiration: L.D.

  In the interest of privacy, am just using initials, but this person is a rock star to me (and don't celebrities value privacy?).  I work in special education.  This person inspires me with her vision of inclusion and for the dignity she shows to the students we work with.  I have learned so much from this person: to keep looking for new approaches to challenges, to not get frustrated when things don't go smoothly, to celebrate our students for who they are right now.  By showing me all this, I have grown better at my job, and have even more satisfaction in it.  Thank you, L.D. for giving me the tools, and the example, to be more effective in my work.

 

2.  Spiritual Inspiration:  My Aunt Carmen

  I want to make sure that my sweet Aunt Carmen knows it is her I'm talking about.  With her modesty, if I just used initials, she would probably think I'm praising someone else!  Throughout my life, Aunt Carmen has guided me, prayed with me, found lots of reading materials to educate me, and has been a spiritual rock for me to depend on. 

  Whenever I need it, Aunt Carmen is there to give me advice and comfort.  She is like a second mother to me.  As my own mom became ill and passed away, she filled in the gap with her love.  I can count on her to listen and not judge.
  My life hasn't been an easy one, at times, but I can always call her and ask for her to pray for me.  I know she is continually saying novenas (a nine day series of prayers) for numerous people.  And this gives me comfort in hard times. 
  Right now, we live quite far away from each other so talking on the phone is how we mostly communicate.  But she also regularly sends me things to read about the lives of saints, various prayer books that might assist me, and a host of other things too.  I have kept these treasures and use them constantly.
  Aunt Carmen has been such an inspiration on how to live a fulfilling life.  She has a great group of friends and has fun with them, cooking, eating, shopping, and going to church together.  I would love to have that in my life. As she has grown older she takes care of herself and is independent.

  Thank you so much, Auntie Carmen, for being in my life!

Who inspires you?  Leave a comment below and be sure to thank these people who mean so much to you.

 

 

This feature was started by the wonderful Parajunkee.  If you want to join this feature, go to her blog and add your name to the Linkylink.  Or if you just want to see what others have written for this feature, there is a great list of other blogs who are doing this.  Just go to Parajunkee's blog.

Today we are posting some of the wonderful things that have happened to us over the past year.  I'm going to focus on two big things that have really made my life happier:

1.   Forming friendships with my colleagues:

2.  Starting this book blog:

via GIPHY
What wonderful things have happened to you?  Please share them in the comments section.

This is a challenge hosted by the amazing Parajunkee.  She has such a wonderful, lively blog!  Please check it out!

I am all about Thankfulness this week!  Being thankful is not only a kind thing to do, but I think it also makes us feel more positive about the world.  So I saw Parajunkee's post and jumped at the chance to get involved. 

Day 1:  What am I thankful for?

There are so, so many things to be thankful for right now.  I was honestly thinking about this today as I was sitting in the dentist's chair!  

1.  I am really thankful that I have good health insurance and that dental is included.  This may seem to be a stupid thing to be thankful for.  However, growing up we did not have health or dental insurance and every time we had a problem, my parents had to worry about how they were going to pay for it.  It was scary.  So we never went to the dentist except for when we had a toothache.  We just couldn't afford preventative care.  My heart still races every time I sit in a dentist's chair because I associate it with the only times I would go to the dentist where I would be getting a filling.  I am so grateful my kids and I don't have to live in fear.  I wish everyone had this security.

2.  I am also very thankful to my Husband who works so hard for us.  He not only works a long day at his job, but then he comes home and works some more.  We tag each other out helping kids with homework (I help with History, while he can assist with math and science).  He also works VERY hard on house projects.  He is a Mr. Fix-it!  He can do just about any repair job needed and if he doesn't know how to do something, he will find the skills and learn them!  In this past year he has painted the outside of our entire house, fixed the sewer, and refinished the cabinets in the kitchen.  That man works tirelessly for his family!

I could fill pages with Thankfulness, but I will stop at these two for now.  If you want to join in, make a Thankfulness post and add your name to the Linky Link ( I will try to add the code as soon as I can) .  

Have a great Thanksgiving week! 

I am participating in Feature & Follow Friday!  I am new to all of this so if I explain it awkwardly, please forgive me.  This is like a blog tag!  I will try to follow as many of the blogs on the master list as I can and hope that some of them will follow me back!  This is hosted by Alison of Alison can read and Parajunkee.  Go to both of their sites and check them out!

Here is the explanation from Alison Can Read's blog:

Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers -- but you have to know -- the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, (using the linky tools -- keep scrolling!) then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Who is our Feature today? Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and ayou must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to Wordpress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don't have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.

There is also a question of the week!

Question of the Week: If you could have an endless supply of food what would it be? - Suggested byNot Tonight, I'm Reading

My answer would definitely be Ice Cream.  One of my very first jobs was at an Ice Cream shop and I loved trying all the different flavors!  I later majored in Food Science in College and got to take classes in Commercial Ice Cream production!

 If you start to follow me, please leave a comment below and say hello!  I will do my best to follow you back!  You can follow on Bloglovin, Google friends connect or on Networked blogs.



Happy blogging!