My First Award!!!

Unbeknownst to me, a couple months ago, my sweet friend Tanya nominated me for the Beautiful Blogger Award!!!  I don't know how I missed it, & I feel so honoured and ashamed I didn't see it sooner.  Thanks, T!!!

Tanya is the one person who is most responsible for this mess I now find myself in!  That mess being the pre-op liquid diet, of course.  Teehee...
Very soon after her own surgery, she had the courage to reach out to talk to others who she felt could benefit from the band, risking offending them for their own good.  I was just one of those people.
She met me for lunch & told me all about her journey & experience.  Prior to my best friend's gastric bypass a few years ago, & Tanya's lifeline (it truly was), I felt like WLS was so not for me.  Without that outstretched hand she extended, I'd probably be battling another dead-end diet, gaining more weight, & feeling worse about myself than ever.
Tanya is one of the most caring, giving, & loving people I know.  She was one of my preceptors when I first started working in Corpus Christi, & stuck up for me then too.  I'm honoured to call her my friend!

So, to qualify for this award, I must "tell 7 interesting things about yourself."  Here goes:

1. I'm sure most of you know, but if not, I'm CANADIAN!  Hence, the url of my blog.  I've been living in the US since 1999 & have been saying since I moved down that I'm moving back to Canada.  Still planning... LOL
2. I love dogs.  Animals, really.  But I'm a dog nut.  Should have been a vet because I like them so much more than I do people most days.
3. I have 4 dogs... English bullies.  They're my sweethearts.  I don't have kids yet, so they're it!
4. I'm single, never married.  Sorta engaged once, but am still waiting for Mr. Right.  I wish he'd hurry up!  I want kids & the ovaries are about to shrivel up & blow away...!
5. On that note, I've known since a little girl I would adopt someday.  I'm getting to the point that if my man doesn't ride up on that white horse soon, I'm going to get started without him.  I yearn to be a Mom!
6. I must be part German, somewhere down the line, because I drive like I'm on the Autobahn 24/7.  My best friend has been known to get out & kiss the ground after driving with me!
7. Really, my heritage is French, Irish, Scottish, & English.  My dream is to go to Paris.  My 40th was supposed to be the plan.  The Band changed that.  So, next year (when I'm svelte)... Paris in the Springtime!!!

 Okay, that was relatively painless (& unimaginative, I imagine... but it's late).

Now I must nominate 7 bloggers (with links) for the same award!  Here they are:

1. B(.)(.)BS!!!  These chiks are working overtime to create an amazing inaugural bandster meetup in Chi-town this fall.  They deserve BIG props!
2. Girl Bandit from Oz, who is coming to Chicago (WOW!) & had a birthday yesterday.  I think she's awesome & can't wait to meet her.
3. Sandy from Ottawa... a fellow Canadian!  I love reading Sandy & aspire to writing my own blog posts well enough to earn her coveted Lollipop Award - it's SO pretty!!!
4. Cindylew from NJ who contacted me earlier this week & is also on the pre-op liquid diet.  Our surgeries are 2 days apart, & our birthdays are 5 days apart!  I'm hoping she's coming to Chicago so I can meet her & see what else we have in commmon.  
5. Erini (Rini) whose blog is so cute!  I just found her, & LOVE that she named her band Toula!  It's all part of the theme.  Check it out.
6. Melissa is the cutest!  I love her little happy dance.  She completed her first 5K last week (a definite future goal for me)!  Proud of her!
7. Of COURSE, Amy Workman... she just IS the Holy Grail of band-blogsters.  Her vlog this week alone deserves this award.  See for yourself (as if you haven't already)!

Okay, that's it.  I'm done.  It's late.  Goodnight John Boy!