Spotlight Sunday: By the lbs

*Spotlight Sunday is a weekly blog post dedicated to one person that has inspired me to be a better person. This will include people I have known all my life, met recently, and/or know only through blogging. If you want to be a part of Spotlight Sunday, then just be patient! I'll get to you, I promise. :)

Who is By the lbs?
She is a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, reader, writer, and all-around fabulous person!

How Do I Know By the lbs?
A while back, I held my first give-a-way! (and incidentally, it's been my only one. Hmmm...I better do another one, soon...). She was one of the winners (lucky girl), and so we emailed each other to exchange info. Well, we discovered that we had a lot in common. A lot. Almost too much, really. This turned into an emailing frenzy, and we wrote each other an average of about 8 emails a day. Or more. Remember this post about the phone call to a new blogging friend that lasted almost 4 hours? Yep. By the lbs. One could say that we've...connected. Now we are buddies. And no, we've never met. Officially --in person, I mean. But that doesn't mean I don't love the girl! I've never met Jamie J, or Amanda, or several other women whom I've grown to appreciate and love, so it's all good. But one day, I know we'll meet. Because I'm just too cool for her NOT to meet me. Or something like that. :)

What is it about By the lbs that inspires me?

1. By the lbs has the most amazing wit. She's sharp as a whip and is always ready to crack a joke. Her ability to quote almost every movie and show she's ever seen blows my mind, too. How does she know all this stuff? I laugh at every blog post she writes (well, maybe not the super serious ones), and her ability to capture the random, the crazy, and the fun in her life leaves me in complete awe. Oh, to have her brain!
2. Her writing talent just astounds me. She has such a great talent for the written word, which really goes along with her sharp wit. Her paragraphs are perfect, her sentences are complete. She knows when to wax poetic and when to simplify. Her word choices are thrilling (yes, you heard me, Thrilling!) and she's good at description. So good, in fact, that it's easy to know when she's kidding and when she's serious. That is a very hard feat, dear reader, to let your audience know your intentions without letting them know your intentions. Am I envious of By the lbs' ability to write? Oh, yes. Do I cry about it? Only sometimes. But mostly, I just use her as an example I should emulate.
3. By the lbs is a great mother and wife. Oh, yes! She has four bright children and it's obvious that they have been raised by a wonderful mother. Of course, I say this only from observing her writing and our limited exchange, but that doesn't mean I can't tell. She cares so deeply about her children, and yet she's willing to let them be independent (a woman after my own heart, you know!). When she talks about her relationship with her hubby, I know they have a great marriage. I've learned from her examples of how to be a better mother and wife. She may scoff at me, but it is true, dear reader. So true!
4. She is a very well rounded person. She has good taste in movies, music, food, and books --but she's not limited to just one genre or type. She dabbles in art and music, as well as the written word, and I've been a grateful recipient of some of these talents. Since I'm the biggest fan of Moderation in All Things (it's my mantra), this skill she has of being well-rounded fills me with even more admiration.
5. She's a fabulous friend. Her emails and phone calls always brighten my day, and she knows just what to say to make me feel better. Her concern is genuine, and her validation is wonderful. Of course, it does help that we have so much personality in common, but at the same time, I know she's a good friend just because she's a good friend. I'm sure there are more bloggers out there that are starting to realize this about her. She's fab! I hope you all get a chance to know her better.

You're the best, By the lbs! Yes, yes, you are...

If you want to read some past Spotlight Sundays, please go here, here, and here.