D'ya Think You Think The Thoughts I've Thunk?

Well, apparently the feeling is mutual, because Briana nominated me for a Thinking Blogger award as part of her Thinker-ly duties to nominate five other blogs that get her thinking.

I read a lot of blogs, so picking just 5 from my 50+ daily reads was a challenge. I take something away from all of the blogs that I read--I wouldn't read them if I didn't--but these are the ones that I have most often found myself retelling to someone else, usually with a groupie-like reference to them as my friends. I know, I need help.

1. I have to copy Briana and nominate Mary from Owlhaven, even though she's been nominated before. Being from a bigger family myself and wanting a bigger family someday, I relate to so many of her posts from both perspectives. Also, I've always felt a calling to adopt so her insights into growing her family through adoption (currently hoop-jumping to adopt their 9th, 10, and 11th children) speak to me. It's all layered with Christian musings and practical mom advice, making her a top read every day.

2. Again copying Briana in order to nominate Ellen at The Reign of Ellen. Ellen so very effectively got me thinking that she not only got me hooked on blogs to begin with, but pulled me out of lurkdom and inspired me to start my own bloggedy goodness. If you do nothing else today, go read her Depression Primer and her What Jesus Said booklets. You'll giggle, you'll smile, and you'll leave with a deeper understanding of both depression and faith. And if you have more time, go read the whole blog. You won't be disappointed, but you may find yourself thinking.

3. While I'm sure she's been nominated before, I don't see it on her site so what the heck. Chris at Notes from the Trenches makes me think every single day. I think about how naive we are for wanting to rehab a house someday. About how naive we are for wanting a lot of kids. About how she makes it all seem effortless and fun and exciting, even when she eloquently tries to deny it. About family and priorities and making life matter and that if I ever find myself even 1/2 as sane, practical, funny, and pretty as Chris is while facing the curve balls (or even the baseball in general!) that come with 6 boys and a girl ranging from ages 2 to 11, well, I'll have to nominate myself for some awards. Until then, go read Chris, if you aren't already, and really, I'm sure that you are.

4. Jill over at Thoroughly Here has a happy mix of thinking about life, faith, and her roles as wife and mom. Her recent decision to have a natural home birth and her struggle with the pressure from society condemning her decision kept me thinking (and sometimes raging) for days. Through her faith she calls herself to a higher purpose and invites her readers to join her. And she shares some really awesome recipes, so you'll have something to eat while you're thinking.

5. Five already? Ok, one more. Angela at Fluid Pudding is a fellow St Louisan, although she's so much cooler than me I'm pretty sure she lives in a different St Louis entirely. Her posts make me laugh until I snort, and perfectly balance that Mom Vs Me or Mom = Me identity crisis of being a zany, fun, cool, creative person in her own right and also being a really cool, and really real, mom. Plus her knitting projects rock.

So there you go. I invite them all to participate if they haven't already, but more so I invite all of you (yes, even you) to check these thoughtful bloggers out.

For the 5 above, the participation rules are simple (taken from the original post):
1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,

2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,

3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn't fit your blog).

ETA: I have to say I felt goofy nominating Chris and Angela because I've never actually emailed with them and instead I'm a total semi-lurking groupie. It reminded me of the time in high school when I hatched a pseudo-scheme to design my own awards ceremony in which I would present glamorous awards to my favorite celebrities, who would of course come because, hey, it's an award, right? And then I would make out with the boys and borrow clothes from the girls who would all pronounce me their BFF. I wondered why no one else had thought of it.

Anyhow, in all honesty, I just wanted to share their brilliance with you all and share the blogs that make me think the most, per the rules. I'm a stickler for rules. So I went ahead and nominated them and then emailed them to let them know in case they were interested. I'm sure they both have a zillion great suggestions for other Thinking Blogs, and Lord knows I need more blogs to read. And wouldn't you know it, they're both gracious, funny, and cool in emails too.

But will they lend me their clothes?