Kindness and Roses

I noted on an earlier post:

I have been given the pink rose/kind blo.gger award by three wonderful blog.gers: Luna, Busted, and Ya Chun, but I can't even seem to compose a thank you. So, well, Thank You. Your kindness means more than you can know. I truly appreciate this.

These are three amazing women, who, despite their own struggles, have given me unwavering support in our little corner of the blogosphere.

I would like to pass on this rose to everyone struggling, everyone surviving, but I'll just pick a few:

Tash at Awful But Functioning and Julia at I Won't Fear Love, for all the kindness, honesty and thoughtful support they've offered. They are both a little more than a year out from their losses (Tash's daughter, Maddy, in February; Julia's son, A, in January), parenting their daughters while grieving their lost children. They are also co-founders of Glow in the Woods, a site for women who have lost babies. It's a wonderful, thoughtful, safe place.

I would also like to honor AMS at Our Own Creation. AMS suffered the loss of her boy/girl twins, Lennox and Zoe, due to extreme prematurity this past January. Her writing is very honest and she often writes what I feel. I don't comment enough on her blog, but I feel less alone reading her words.

Last -- but not least -- I'd like to honor Jaded Girl at The View from This Place (formerly of Beautiful Curve). She recently lost her second daughter, Daniella, at almost 23 weeks; last year she lost her first daughter at almost 22 weeks due to Meckel-Gruber syndrome. Even with my own recent losses, I cannot imagine the depth of her pain, and the courage she has shown in just going on. I've only commented once or twice on her blog, but I hope I can begin show her some of the support I've been offered here.

How to pass it on:

1. On your blog, copy and paste the award, these rules, a link back to the person who selected you, and a link to this post: http://smartone.typepad.com/smartone/2008/05/pink-is-my-favo.html. You will find the story behind the Pink Rose Award and other graphics to choose from there.
2. Select as many award recipients as you would like, link to their blogs (if they have one), and explain why you have chosen them.
3. Let them know that you have selected them for an award by commenting on one of their posts.
4. If you are selected, pass it on by giving the Pink Rose Award to others.
5. If you find that someone you want to nominate has already been selected by someone else, you can still honor them by posting a comment on their award post stating your reasons for wishing to grant them the award. 6. You do not have to wait until someone nominates you to nominate someone else.