Celebrating Blog Friendships

Welcome to my section of the
"Celebrating Blog Friendships" blog hop!

It's been one year since I participated in Shimelle's "Blogging for Scrapbookers" class. When I registered for the class I was thinking, "Oh, I hope I learn how to add buttons to my sidebar..." and various other things that now seem fairly simple. And you know what? I did learn how to add buttons to the right side of my blog {see?}. And I learned the importance of post labels, and giving credit where credit is due, and some simple basic rules of blog etiquette. I'd say, all in all, that I really got my money's worth from taking Shimelle's class.
.
But wait! There was more!!! There was a bonus feature of Shimelle's class that hadn't been advertised in the syllabus; a bonus feature I wouldn't have believed if she had advertised it. A bonus feature that is worth more than any extra money I could have paid with the registration fee. The bonus?
,

Blog friends.

♥.

This is not to say that all of my blog friends have come from Shimelle's class. No, some have come from people I've met along the way while blog hopping and leaving comments, as well as those who happen to land at PaperTurtle and leave me a nice comment.

So, how do you describe the importance, the dear-at-heart, the affection that you feel for friends you've met while blogging? How do you explain it to someone who asks straight away, "What's a blog?" {~sigh~ Never mind.}
.

One of the aspects that's been particularly fun and interesting for me this past year is having made friends with bloggers who live outside of Arizona... outside of the United States even! Yes, through an unexpected perk of blogging, I have friends all over the world.

It's been really interesting having friends who live on the other side of the planet...or way down under...or across the very country I live in. I've learned that we don't use the letter U as often as my friends across the ocean (colour, favourite...) and that if I've learned something I have learnt it. I've learnt that not every one has tried candy corn, and that minced meat is widely used at Christmas time in other parts of the world; that football is soccer, played with a round ball not an oval shaped one; and that biscuits are cookies, not breakfast bread to be eaten with gravy. Most importantly, I have learned that even though our traditions and our accents aren't always the same, our hearts are, and that we all have the same issues, similar history, creative hearts, and lofty dreams. We support each other in times of need, and we applaude each other's successes.

We are friends in every sense of the word
and I couldn't feel more grateful.

♥

About this post: Two of the friends I have met through blogging (Jo and Lizzie) have organized a little blog party and I'm participating in it. There are three things you may like to know:

1) I'm doing a little giveaway for those of you who wish to put in for it. I'm giving away a set of American measuring cups to anyone who doesn't already own a set but would like to have one. I'd love for you to leave a note anyway, but if you want to be included in the drawing just mention that in your comment.

2) Lizzie and Jo are sponsoring an additional prize if you'd like to play along (info will be at the end of this blog hop). You'll collect letters at each hop-stop to form a final phrase, and the letter for my post is "R"; and now,

3) Head on over to Amy's blog to continue your journey with "Celebrating Blog Friendships." Hold on to your hat! This blog hop will take you around the world!

♥ ♥ ♥

November Attitude of Gratitude
* I am so very grateful for the wonderful people and kindred spirits I have met through my blog. It has been such an unexpected blessing getting to know each and every one of you. My gratitude for blog friendships has been multipied countless times this past week with all of the love and support you've given with regard to the loss of our dear friend and my aunt. Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart. Words simply cannot express my gratitude on this one. ♥