I Feel Loved

I was privileged last week to receive the Liebster Blog Award.  Now many of you may not have heard of this award as it does not entail me putting on a fancy, designer-name dress; spending hours with make-up and hair consultants, or starving myself for weeks to fit into the previously mentioned dress.  (Let me say thank goodness for that.)  But why this award was so meaningful to me was because it was given to me by a dear friend, Michele at Follow Me Home, who I am sure has no idea of the impact she had on my life at the time.  Although we drifted apart for many years, I am so grateful to have her in my life again through the wonders of Facebook and Blogging.

As a recipient of this award, I have been asked to publically answer a few questions (eleven isn't too many, right?) about myself and my blogging experience.  Please bear with me as I fulfill this obligation.

1. What was the title of your very first post and what was it about?
My first post was entitled "In the Beginning" and it told the story of how my husband proposed to me.

2. How did you come up with the name of your blog?
Our family lives in the most beautiful place on earth - and we are just west of Zion National Park.  I had at first joked about the idea of "Halfway Between Purgatory and Zion", but decided that would only be a reference people from Washington County would understand.  I also liked the way "West of Zion" was a homage to John Steinbeck's East of Eden and felt that it represented how our family was working through life trying to be the best human beings we can be.

3. Do you have an underground blog or does everyone in your world know you write it?
I think those who want to know about it know.  I post on Facebook and Google+.  I have also joined a few blogging communities.  

4. Have you ever had to deal with negative comments?
I feel that everyone has a right to their opinion, but any criticism should be respectful.  If something is meant to be hurtful, I will remove it.

6. Do you think it's important to respond to every comment?
I know when I comment on another blog, I do so without expecting a response.  If I think a reply will add to the discussion or if I am especially touched by something that is shared, then I will reply.  I do appreciate all the support whether on the blog, on Facebook or comments to me personally.  

7. Do you blog for money? If yes, has it been worth it?
I don't blog for money.  I have thought about it, but my life right now is about reducing stress and  pressure not adding to it.

8. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. One day. What would you eat?
I am horribly OCD when it comes to eating.  My breakfast is always a bowl of granola with yogurt instead of milk and fresh fruit.  Lunch is preferably a salad or leftovers, and dinner is meat and vegetables.  I have had to cut back on starches, so that has changed how I eat.

9. Who was your favorite teacher in school and why?
Miss Parrish in first grade.  I don't know why other than I just remember how safe I felt in her classroom.

10. At this moment in your life, are you content?
I have to say yes.  Our family has experienced a lot of upheaval during its existence, so I have learned to look for the positive and work to change the negative.  Feeling like I have some control through my choices helps with contentment.

11. Do you see yourself blogging for the long haul?
I do.  I want to continue to share stories for my children and grandchildren.  I want them to look back and say, "I remember that day!"  I also want them to be able to know us when we weren't mom and dad or when we were new parents so that they can hopefully learn and not be as hard on themselves as we were.  I also want them to remember my parents the way I remember them.

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Now for the fun part, I get to name my winners.  These are bloggers that I look to for ideas, for a smile, for upliftment or for thought:  (These are in no particular order other than alphabetical)

Creative Chaos and Utah Garden Blogs (this person does double duty)
Ennis Crew
I Must Be Dreaming
Just My Scrapbook
Life With Allen
Living Life "Single-Handedly"
Ms Fish
Real Scrappy
Shades of Blonde
The Mother Load
The Sparkular Adventures of Susan Vilate and the Lizard

An honorable mention will go to Gone with the Wynns, since I am sure that it does not meet condition 3 below, but is well worth checking out.

I know this feels a little like those chain emails asking you to send a recipe, but I think it is a great way to introduce people to blogs that have had an impact on my life and that I feel are worth checking out.

If you don't want to participate further, I will understand.  I just wanted you to know that the things you have written have touched my life and to say Ich Liebe deinen Blog.

For those of you that want to pass along this award, here are the rules to the new Liebster winners:

1. Please give your most honest (or creative) answers to my eleven questions.

2. Come up with 11 questions of your own. (Make them awesome, and if you get juicy answers, link back to me!)

3. Choose 11 of your favorite bloggers to pass the award onto.  They must have FEWER than 200 followers. 

So here are your 11 questions:

1. Why did you choose to start a blog?

2. How did you choose the name of your blog?

3. If you write about personal experiences, do you have permission from those you write about and what do you do to protect the privacy of those mentioned in your blog?

4. Do you look back and review your older posts?  Do they still make you laugh or cry?

5. What is your all time favorite post and why?

6. Where is your favorite place to eat and your favorite item on the menu?

7. If you had one day all to yourself, what would you do?

8. Does your family follow your blog?  If yes, do you want them to leave comments?

9. Who is your favorite author? Favorite book?

10. When and where do you blog? (ie - the middle of night in bed wearing a flannel nightgown and bunny slippers with Ben and Jerry ;-) )

11. How has your blog evolved since its beginning?