I got my first Thinking Blogger's Award!!!!

Michele at Rocky Mountain Retreat has tagged me with my very first meme!!! WOW, I feel included! Did you know that the feeling of inclusion is extremely important to we humans? One of my favorite people told me about that theory "because without inclusion you have exclusion," and exclusion can feel really sad and lonely. (Side note, I felt excluded at times at the Milbloggers Conference; I still feel somewhat excluded from important issues at work, my children's "real" lives, friendships, women's clubs (for example)). So now I'm forever included in the world of bloggers who have been tagged! Yeah!

Now I've got to tag five other bloggers who make me think. I don't know if I can do that w/o tagging people who have already been tagged (during the time I was excluded (ha-ha)).

How about if I just list them but don't actually tag them -- if I say WHY they make me think?

Cool, Calm and Collected makes me think of how close Melissa was to marrying the man of her dreams and living "happily ever after" only to have her fiance tragically killed in Iraq. She seems wise way beyond her 19 years of age; she has unwaivering Faith.

Sarge Dub makes me think of how it must feel to be living your life as usual and then be snatched away to fight in a war -- twice. That one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer turned into a whole lot more. But he has handled this detour with humor and spirit.

Andi of Andi's World makes me think -- how did she become so well known and yet remain so humble? After watching her perform under pressure at the Milbloggers Conference I would say she "has what it takes" and the grace to share with so many others.

Pat Winter of Pat Winter Gatherings makes me think of how she can make such beautiful creations with needle, thread, ribbon and beads and I can't even get off the couch to sew on a button. Her website probably isn't considered a blog, but it is beautiful (beautiful starts w/ "b" (like blog), so it's okay to include it).

Proud Liberal Army Wife makes me think how very hard it must be to have had her son deployed and now her husband. I think it takes a lot of courage and that good ol' "intestinal fortitude".

There are, of course, many other bloggers who make me think -- Sarge Charlie is one of my favs b/c he's "been there, done that." BadgersForward IS there, doing that, as is Acute Politics.

So Michele, thanks for including me and, because I made you think, I feel so much smarter!