I Feel Loved!

Why? Because four lovely ladies have awarded me five times with two awards in the last week! And now I am forced with the fun but difficult task of filling out that which is required of me and creating a somewhat decent blog post. 

First up, the Sunflower Award awarded by God's Girl, Chloe, and Jessica! Thank you so much, girls!

Rules:

1. Share 11 facts about yourself

2. Answer the 11 questions set by your nomination blogger- Nominate 11 bloggers

3. Set questions for nominated bloggers

And then I was also given the Liebster (that's "dearest" in German, FYI) Award by Lauriloth and Chloe! Again, a dear thanks to you girls! 

Rules:

1. Link to the blog that nominated you for the award.

2. Choose eleven bloggers to nominate who have less than 200 followers.

3. Answer the questions given to you.

4. Let the people who you've nominated know when you've done so.

5. You can't nominate the person who nominated you.

6. Create eleven questions for the bloggers you've nominated to answer.

7. You must follow the blog that nominated you.

Eleven facts times three. These are gonna be random. Hold tight to your hats, peoples.

1. I was VERY excited to find out today that I won Rachel Heffington's giveaway!

2. And now I can't wait to read her book, Fly Away Home!

3. I smell books and love each scent.

4. I share a birthday with Chris Hemsworth.

5. I tell people I'm Thor's sister.

6. I sometimes break out into mock-Asgardian speech.

7. In the winter, I sleep with socks on because I can't fall asleep with cold feet.

8. And on that note, I sleep with all the blankets pulled over my head. Not sure why I do that, but I do.

9. I love wrist warmers & fingerless gloves.

10. But mostly because my shirts don't fit my long arms properly.

11. Cold wrists are awful.

12. Due to my asthma, I'm sometimes slightly claustrophobic. But only in dark, hot, small spaces.

13. I once performed Fortuosity in a McDonald's parking lot with my cousin.

14. I despise ankle socks.

15. I'm probably the only person in the US not to like Idina Menzel's singing voice.

16. And I'm not a fan of her "Let It Go" song from Frozen. 

17. Because of my musical background, I tend to be very critical about other singers.

18. I've never been in an airplane, but I want to someday.

19. I'm on a mostly dairy-free diet right now as an experiment.

20. My *current* favorite musical is Cinderella.

21. Particularly, the 2013 Broadway version.

22. Silver keys are my one weakness.

23. I've never gone skating.

24. But I desperately want to learn how.

25. Olympic skating is so much fun to watch!

26. I'm a closet fan of Meryl Davis and Charlie White.

27. Their My Fair Lady sequence is spot-on, and I've seen it about half a dozen times.

28. I've never been to a movie theater.

29. I pretend I know ballet and tap dancing.

30. I have over 170 hours' worth of music on my laptop.

33. My *current* favorite non-musical soundtrack is either Mirror, Mirror or Treasure Planet.

32. My hair is currently waist-length.

33. I can't stand olives. Green or black. Sorry, Mrs. Jennings.

And no, your eyes aren't going. I'm using different fonts and font colors to keep things lively. Sometimes an overly wordy post gets too boring in plain black Arial font.

Now to get into the eleven questions... times five. Ready for this, folks?

God's Girl's questions:

1. What is the hardest class/subject you have ever taken/studied? 

To be truthful, Geometry. I loved math when I was in elementary school (and ended up teaching my teacher at one point), but high school courses that masqueraded as math classes and I did not see eye to eye.

2. Do you sew/knit/crochet? If so, what was your last project?

I sew and knit, and I've always wanted to learn to crochet. My last project... let's see. A replica Elsa dress for the doll my youngest sister got for Christmas.

3. What is your favorite out-of-the-ordinary food? (i.e. I really like Chinese noodles.)

Out of the ordinary? Good question. Well... let's say Boston Brown Bread. Thick, molasses-y, with raisins... yum! Actually, I haven't had that in a long time.

4. If you could have lunch with any literary character, who would it be and why? 

The first one to come to mind is Judith Tittleton from Christmas at the Tittletons (excellent read!). Why? Well, because we're basically twins, and because I want to ask her a million and one questions about her new life (which I won't say here -- spoilers, you know).

5. What person in your life has really impacted you? 

Probably my dad. I've always loved and respected him, so much so that when I was younger, I wished that I would have asthma just like him. Ironic now that I have asthma myself, eh? He works hard, loves greatly, admonishes gently... really, I couldn't ask for a better father. Watching him has probably impacted me more than anything else.

6. If you were going to have lunch with the queen of England, what would you wear? 

If I knew enough ahead of time, I'd make myself something along the lines of an old-fashioned tea dress, high neckline, three-quarter sleeves, and a lace overlay on the skirt. Nothing extremely fancy, but modest and comfortable.

7. Hot dogs or hamburgers?

One of both, please! With ketchup, but hold the mustard. 

8. If you listen to audio dramas, what is the best one you have ever heard? 

Focus on the Family Radio Theatre makes incredible audio dramas! I love their Narnia series, and my favorite would probably have to be The Horse and His Boy. 

9. What is your favorite form of worship? (Singing, praying, listening to teaching, serving, etc.)

I don't know that I have one favorite. Worship isn't something that we reserve for Sunday morning at church, but is rather something that should define our lives. 

10. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

One place? Fine, the Rocky Mountains. I'll get out west someday!

11. What experience in your life drew you close to God? Or... In what way has God really revealed himself to you? 

The last move my family underwent was a difficult one, and although I was happy to be where we are now, I couldn't help but feel lonely. I didn't have many friends, and those that I called friend seemed to want to turn away from me. I wouldn't say I hit rock bottom, really, but in that moment, when I felt myself friendless and forgotten, I found there was still One I could call friend. I turned to God in my loneliness, and that's when He made Himself real to me. 

Lauriloth's questions:

1. Would you rather have the ability to fly, turn invisible, or have perfectly clean teeth where you never have to brush them again? (Of course I’m serious.)
Fly! All the way! I've wanted to ever since I knew Peter Pan could. *grins*

2. Do you have a water buffalo?

Not at the moment. He had an argument with my unicorn and decided he needed a vacation in Thailand. I expect a postcard from him any day now.

3. Do you have a pet of any kind? (Siblings count. Juuust kidding! ;P) 
Siblings count? They have to, because that's it. My one and only favorite brother... Doofus. But, hey! He speaks Donald Duck, so that's a bonus, eh?

4. What advice would you give to that poor old woman who lives in a shoe?
Beware of sharp tongues.

5. Favorite song? (Yes, I know I’m evil.)
Not fair, Lauri! Totally not fair! *sigh* Okay, since I'm currently listening to The Princess and the Pea (2002) soundtrack, I'll say it's The Wide Open World. This is a little-known princess movie, but I rather enjoy it. It's right up there with The Swan Princess and movies like that. Not Disney, but still good.

6. If you had to change your first name, what would you choose?

I love my name! But... if I *had* to change it, I'd go for something Tolkien-ish. Kirlien or the like. I'd have to do some more research in Tengwar before I made a final decision, you understand.

7. Cake, pie, ice cream, or cookie?
These questions are awful! Do you ask these on purpose to torment us, Lauri?? *rubs aching head* Okey dokey, let's say... cake. Since it's cold outside, warm, sweet cakes are just in season. 

8. What are three simple little things in life that make you happy?
If you didn't specifically say simple, I'd say my family, but we're anything but. In a good way, of course. *winks* Craisins, comments, and snowflakes. Sorry, couldn't keep the alliteration up.

9. Do you have a bucket list? If so, what are your top three things on it?
Yes, I do! And I have no idea... top three? Well... see a Broadway play in New York, travel to Europe, and go dog sledding. 

10. What’s your favorite fairytale? To keep from sounding redundant, I'll say Diamonds and Toads. It's a lesser known tale, but quite interesting. Otherwise, it'd be Beauty and the Beast. 

11. Who’s your favorite fictional villain? (It can be from a book, show, movie, or whatever.)

One of my favorites is Mother Gothel from Tangled.

Chloe's questions for Liebster Award:

1. If you could visit any place in the world where would you go? 

Probably Ireland. Gorgeous scenery, old castles, what's not to like? *grins*

2. How many siblings do you have?

Five. I'm number two in a line of six.

3. Who was the first person you talked to this morning?

My mom... nope, my sister KT Bugs. She woke up at 3 (or thereabouts; who looks at clocks at such times?) and for some reason felt the need to wake me and tell me about her socks. I mumbled something along the lines of, "That's nice. Go back to sleep." Woke up this morning to discover that she was trying to tell me her socks were mismatching. Rather embarrassing for a four-year-old, even in bed.

4. Do you like morning or evening better?

I love early morning, but I'm not a morning person. I actually have the most energy at night... right before I go to bed. Yeah... 

5. Who is your role model? 

My wonderful mother. I love her to pieces.

6. If you could meet any person on earth, who would you want to meet? 

Since you said "on earth," Chloe, I'm assuming we're talking about live people, right? Well, how about all my lovely blogging buddies? I want to meet them!!

7. Do you like going to the dentist?

NO! There's nothing I dislike more than other people putting their hands in MY mouth.

8. Who is your best friend? 

I don't have one... I have several. And they're all family. *hugs* Love you, guys!

9. What is your favorite blog...other than yours :)?

Hmm... this is a difficult question... I don't think I can answer this with just one blog. I love reading Amy's blog, Lauri's blog, Melody's blog... and the list goes on and on.

10. Have you ever flown over the ocean? 

Never. Maybe one day I will.

11. What are you most looking forward to in life?

Ooh, Chloe... good question. Now to come up with an answer... well, at the moment, I'm really looking forward to becoming a published author. I've been writing for years, and I'm hoping that this is the year I get to see my name in print! Long-term, looking forward to... doing whatever God has for me.

Chloe's questions for Sunflower Award:

1. What do you want to do on earth more than anything else?
Be the girl God wants me to be. My life is a gift from Him, and I want to glorify Him above all else.

2. What is your favorite book (other than the Bible)...?

Favorite books are almost as bad as favorite songs... they change about every week. Right now, it's Little Dorrit because that's what I'm reading. Ask me again in a couple of days, and it'll be a different book. *shrugs*

3. What is your favorite subject in school?
Geography was pretty spiffy. Cartography and all of that has always fascinated me.

4. Do you have pen-pals?

I do write letters, but I don't necessarily write to true "pen-pals." For that, I go the electronic route with emails.

5. Who is your favorite hero (in books or movies)? 
Probably Faramir from LOTR. And if you don't know why, you obviously don't know me.

6. Who do you text the most?

Honestly, I don't text. I don't have a phone. I IM (i.e. Facebook chat) most with my sister Beth Grace, so if that answers your question.

7. If you could change anything in your facial features what would you change?

I don't think my face entirely photogenic, but I like it. If I had to change something, I'd probably give myself pointier ears so I could pass as a real elf. I do have semi pointy ears, but they're not quite elf-like.

8. What is your favorite movie?
The Lord of the Rings film series. What? That can be one, can't it?? Fine. The Two Towers extended edition.

9. What is your favorite thing to blog about?
My writing. I sometimes find it hard to talk about my stories, but it's really encouraging to put up a post about or snippets from the book I'm working on and have all of you wonderful people leave comments telling me how much you loved it!

10. Do you have a best friend?
Did I already answer this? Oh, yes... yes, I did. *grins*

11. What is the most amazing thing you've ever done?
Umm... write 72,000 words in one month? I can't think of anything more amazing than that at the moment...

Jessica's questions:

1. What would you title your autobiography?
Way to make you think, Jessica! I like it! Let's see... probably something along the lines of What God Has Planned. I think it's interesting to see how we plan out our own lives according to our own desires, and then God has His own plans for us. But His are always best. I'm 20, and if you asked me at 6 years old what my plan was, I'd have responded, "A senior in college, and just engaged." I'm nowhere near either of those things, but my life isn't bad because of it. Nope, God had other plans, and I think His ideas are far superior to mine. I love where He has me now.

2. How would you describe your feelings to a person who had never experienced love before?
How to describe love? Love is a desire to sacrifice what you might want so that someone else can benefit. Love is loyalty and honesty. Love is persevering and looking for those things that are lovely. Love is patience and kindness. Love is of Christ.

3. The sun is setting, it's your last day on earth. How did you spend your last day?
With my family. We probably spent the whole day talking and laughing and eating my favorite foods. Which would include all things chocolate and soy, considering it was my last day on earth... which, if I ate chocolate and soy, that would explain why it *was* my last day on earth. The phrase "death by chocolate" has more than one meaning, you know.

4. Your happy color.
Orange! It's bright, it's citrus... it's happy!

See what I mean? :) {pic source}

5. Your favorite flower is in bloom, do you a. pick it, b. let it grow and slowly fade and dry the petals c. find a way to extract seeds so you can plant even more next year.
Realistically? A. I'm not a huge flower person, and the scent of flowers gives me asthma, so I'll enjoy it briefly and move on with life after it's gone.

6. Your worst fear has come to pass. What just happened? 
If we're talking about worldly fears, then most likely my laptop died, taking all my work with it to the dust. I've lost work before to a broken computer, and it's not fun.

7. Though a series of  events you suddenly find out you are a princess, how do you handle this? Do you resign and go back to private life, or believe that some people are born great and others have greatness thrust upon them, and that this is your duty come what may?
If I am a princess, then I have a duty. I may not like royal life, but I hope I wouldn't run away from it just to be comfortable at someone else's expense.

8. What animal have you always wanted to keep for a pet that you are sure no one would let you keep?
A dragon.

9. You get a chance to live overseas for one year, where would you go and what would you do? 
France or Sweden. Historical and geographical research (a.k.a. exploring). 

10. You fall asleep and wake up in your favorite childhood storybook. What are you going to do and how are you going to get out?
I'm in Peter Pan??? Why would I want to get out???

11. Do you multi-task? Does it hinder or help you?
Yes, I can multi-task. No, it's not always helpful when you're trying to focus on one thing, particularly writing.

Whew! There's all the questions, folks! Hope you all got down this far!

Now, let's see... time for me to award eleven bloggers... I'm going to do this a little differently, so pay attention here, all ye readers. The first fact below to describe you... that's your award.

If your birthday is in the month of either February or September, you've won the Liebster award.

Or...

If you're wearing a blue shirt (or have blue on your shirt), you've won the Sunflower award.

Or...

If you're leaning on your left elbow as you read this, you've won the Liebster award.

Or... 

If you get this reference ("Many leaves, one tree."), you've won the Sunflower Award.

And please be truthful! I really want these awards to go out to wonderful people! Let me know when you answer them, because I'd love to see your posts!

My eleven questions for those nominated:

What is your one weakness?
If you could cosplay one animated Disney character, which one would it be and why?
What is one lesser-known film you'd recommend?
What is the next book on your to-read list?
What is the computer/laptop/phone background on the device you're using right now?
If your life was a musical, what would be your theme song?
You just got invited to your dream event. Where are you going?
Italian or Mexican cuisine? 
What is something you like but most people don't?
Let's say you fell asleep and woke up in a random fairytale. Which fairytale, who are you, and what happens?
What's something you're excited about this year?

God bless!

P.S. Hayden interviewed me for her Stay-At-Home daughter series, and the interview went up today! Be sure to stop by Hayden's blog to read it!