We measure up!

Many thanks to Vicki at Holly Daze for giving us the "measure up" award that's been circulating the blogs lately. People pass it on to others to say that their blog "measures up" - i.e. is good and worth reading!

Rules:

1. Say one nice thing to a man in your life.

Thank you so much, Zac, for being my hero last night as I prepared for a job interview. You did a number of wonderful things that deserve public commendation: You put the baby to bed, fixed our printer (and that involved leaving the house to get a new cartridge on a cold night!), fed me chocolate, and let me sleep in a bit in the morning. These are just a few examples of the kinds of gifts you give me every day. I love you.

2. List at least six ways that you measure success in your life (or for your blog).

I feel successful when...

1. When I ask myself, "If a bus hit me today, and I were lying in my hospital bed with only an hour left, would I feel regret about anything (big)?" If I can honestly answer that I have no regrets, then I feel successful.
2. When I am giving enough (not necessarily equal) attention to the things that matter most to me: family, work, friends, personal time.
3. When Zac and I seem to strike the right balance between recognizing and managing Quinn's specialness and letting him just be a kid.
4. When I do something at work that I feel truly proud of, because of the effort I put into it and because of the potential for positive impact on the community.
5. When I remember to be grateful for the many, many blessings I have in my life and allow my gratitude to dominate me, rather than what are, in comparison, relatively small complaints.
6. When I remember to give Zac the kinds of gifts he gives me (see above).

3. Assign this award to six other blogs and leave them a comment telling the blogger that you’ve assigned them this award.

Well, this is only five, but that will have to do.

X-Dad: Did X-Dad get this already? I'm not sure, but I think it's okay if he gets it twice. His sense of humor about FX and other parenting challenges is great. (Because you can't just cry all the time.) I still laugh to myself every now and then thinking about the last line of the "Feeling a little pissy" post.

Purses and Poop: This is a blog by a former supervisor and old friend with two beautiful adopted daughters. I like her blog because she blends the day-to-day with the big picture stuff so well, and the topics: parenting, work, health, and general life stuff are always interesting.

Princessa Sianessa's Distraction: A great, well-written blog by one of my oldest friends. Her recipes are wonderful and she has a wry sense of humor I always enjoy.

Llama + Duck = Love: Really fun and interesting blog about family and geeky topics by another IRL friend.

If I Had A Photograph of You: Adorable kids, terrific photographs, and a very sweet approach to life.