Wow....time flies..girl time

Has it really been 11 days since I last posted?  Wow that's not like me....it's been busy.  I feel like I say that ALL the time.  Hmmm...well it just is I guess.

Let me catch back up...

Last Friday morning I met my dear friend Lisa in Ankeny (she lives near Newton, IA)...we drove up to Rochester MN...leaving at 5:20 am.  I had some test appointments at Mayo for my annual check on my Pituitary Tumor, I talked her into riding with me. (btw the tests went fine, we will get the results after the 28th.  I have an appt then with my Dr there)  We met up with our friend Niki early afternoon at the hotel.  Niki, Lisa and I went to Luther College together, were in each others weddings...and have just been on the same path forever it seems.  It's one of those friendships that you literally pick up where you left off...no warming up needed.  No bars held.  Just real stuff, real life...love that and appreciate it more as I get older.  We actually were WILD and crazy in the afternoon and all chose to nap.  yep, under the covers in our hotel room napping.  Seriously we are CRAZY....

That night we attended the opening of the Hearts at Home conference, which we have gone to MANY years.  It is a conference for Mom's.  It is all about being a  wife, Mom and loving God!.  3000 Mom's there from 24 states representing almost 8000 children.  Pretty amazing stuff really.  The opening night was a group of comedians doing Imrpov, seriously we laughed so hard tears were streaming down our faces, my cheeks and tummy hurt.  SO good for us all.

Saturday morning we headed back to the conference and the opening speakers were Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, while I find them a little too sweet and unrealistic, I also found them very REAL in a lot of ways.  It was neat to hear their testimonies.  I did stand in line later that day to meet them and snap a pic for Drew and Jack who both love their TV show.  19 kids?  Seriously I cannot imagine.  IMAGINE...makes me more tired.  We went to some great breakouts, letting go of Momma Guilt, teenagers and dating...just some real ladies talking about real stuff.  Learned so much and felt very encouraged.

The entire conference just made me so grateful for my own MOM!  As a matter of fact I called her on the way to Decorah sobbing, she of course wondered why I was crying...although it's really NOT that rare for her to pick up the phone to my tears.  She is fairly used to it.  :)  BUT I just wanted to THANK her for EVERY little thing she ever did for me...seriously I had NO idea and I am STILL grasping the amount of work it was for her to be our Mom, to keep up with us, to feed us, to clothe us, to keep laundry clean, the house clean...forms signed, grades watched, food in the house....I GET what she did and I really GET how blessed I was and am.  She really did it all.  She showed up for the little stuff and the BIG stuff, she listened to my every tear and MAN there were a lot, and still are.  She always knew what I needed, she woke me up every morning of high school with her very own sweet weather report and suggestion of clothing while she opened my Pink Laura Ashley Bubble Curtains...really I could go ON AND ON AND ON AND ON...but I hope she knows how VERY much she is appreciated and all of the little stuff is appreciated by me now that I am in the THICK of it all.

Back to the weekend...Saturday night we opted for a quick trip down to Decorah, yep Luther College again, 2 weeks in a row for me.  Lisa's nephew had his High School Variety show and she had been feeling so badly she was missing it...so we all decided to go and move our Girls weekend to Decorah...and we ate pizza at Mabe's before the show.  Woo hoo.  And as we sat down to watch the Decorah High Schoolers I just smiled...thinking oh fun we can see her niece and nephew and enjoy high school talent.  What Lisa had FAILED to tell Niki or I was that her NEPHEW is VERY GOOD...as in mouth dropping talent.  He led 4 songs with his guitar and amazing voice.  Jason Mraz move on over...Niki and I kept looking at each other very WOWED by the kids talent.  To find out he had made All State Choir and was one of the top 8 possible soloists...not sure how he ended up from there.  But it was SO much fun and we were SO glad Lisa didn't miss it.  Watch for him, Nick Vandekrol.  Serious talent friends.

Sunday morning we ran to Ruby's for some "Ronnie's Rolls" before we headed out of town...love these girls and loved a weekend with them.  So blessed.

Heading out of town...Sunday morning...all full up on girl time and encouragement...