I could go on forever!

I got back last night from Illinois (not really Chicago - suburbs of Chicago) and I'm SO excited, I want to share everything.
Up until the conference I kept notes on my phone - just little tidbits that told my thoughts as I was beginning my journey (thanks Erika for the idea) but then I got busy and forgot to keep those notes. That and Illinois is a hands free state, so I couldn't use my phone in the car.
6am (Wednesday) stomach ache - nervous!
6:15am (Wednesday) thankful not to be chasing kids around the airport.
7:30am (Wednesday) praying for this full flight to have an empty seat by me. Yes - thank you God.
10:05am (Wednesday) in the big city - eeks.
11:05am (Wednesday) GPS is a beautiful thing!!
9:15pm (Wednesday) it was a full day, full of knowledge... now if I could find my car! Hmm, is that it? No. How about that white one? No. Is it time for the alarm?

It would take way too much time, energy and typing to tell you about the conference. Suffice to say it was incredible, enlightening and I came away with so many ideas. I can't wait to meet with Pastor Kyle and everyone else to try to figure out how to implement some of what I've learned.

Here's all the side stories. Wednesday as you read above was a roller coaster of emotions - nervous about the trip, excitement about getting there safe and then trepidation when I lost my car that night (which only lasted a moment or two but felt a lot longer as I wandered the parking lot!)
Thursday was a full day of break-out sessions. I went to all the ones I was scheduled for but the evening was open - they had discussion groups planned (to meet with teams) but since I was my team I debated it but I out voted me and decided to explore. The evening before I had noticed a Holocaust museum close by and thought that would be interesting. I know many people are thinking, what are you kidding me? That doesn't sound fun. But I didn't say fun, I said interesting - history is a huge interest to me. So Gina (my GPS) and I set out for some exploring. I was proud of my adventurous spirit and proud of getting through a roundabout (huh?! who decided that was a good idea?) in the big city. As I drove by 4255 Main Street and saw an abandoned building my spirit went from excited to irritated. I pulled over - cuz Gina won't take directions while I'm moving and called Jason (who by the way had looked up this museum for me the night before) and he informed me that it would have it's grand opening in its new location on April 19th! UGH! Now you see the alternate personality came out in me - the humdrum I just want to be entertained personality. I asked Jason to look up AMC theaters and tell me what chick flicks were playing and what time. The movie was over an hour away so I detoured back to the hotel where a new plan hatched - I could *gasp* spend the evening in utter silence reading my new book. Yep - that was the new plan. Very enjoyable. I read for 3 hours without anyone asking me if I'd wipe their hind quarters, telling me they were hungry and without a mess being made on the other side of the door. YES! I finally gave it up because it was 10:45 and my eyes hurt.
Friday - the conference was inspiring, worship music and a great message geared to Children's Ministry Directors - very nice. The excitement (if you want to call it that) happened when I got to O'Hare Airport - I'm not a fan! They were not a nice group of people and even in my inspired mode I was irritated with their poor people skills.
#1 I dropped off my car and Gina (the name I gave the GPS) - when I asked the lady (after a tearful goodbye to Gina) if I should just leave the GPS in the car, she grunted at me. I took that to mean yes and walked away. Would it be so hard to see my sadness at letting go of my new friend? Seriously - she was just rude and that wasn't cool.
#2 After walking through the cow lines - back and forth, back and forth, back and forth - I was taken aside to check my bag. Apparently they are serious about that 1 quart bag thing. Who knew - my assumption was that if all the stuff I had in my 1 gallon bag would fit in a 1 quart bag then I was okay. NO! The gentleman informed of this and I had to stand there and put all my liquids in a small sandwich sized bag. Not a problem, I had three of those. **Watch out boys here's where it gets personal ** He proceeded to give me the bag that had my feminine hygiene products in it and told me to use that one. I began putting the liquids in on top of the current contents. He asked me why I was doing that, I should take out the stuff and then put the new stuff in. At this point my hands are shaking and I'm nervous and embarrassed. He asked my why I was shaking and I nervously laughed and said, "beside the fact that I'm standing here messing with pads and you're not my husband?!" I finished the job and here's the kicker he put my gallon sized bag back in my bag and then took the plastic bag, the makeup bag and the carry on and re-x-rayed them. I just stood there shaking, trying not to cry. He brought them all back to me and my polite side said, "thank you for all that you are doing to keep us safe." Then my little smart-*ss walked away and put all my stuff back into my gallon sized bag (which he'd so politely given back to me)!
#3 The monitors - there were 5 and one was not lit up. The guy next to me stopped one of those evil blue men (you know the guys how like to torment innocent mothers with feminine hygiene products) and asked if he knew where he could find information about departures to A states (let's say he was going to Albuquerque) - at this point I've realized that the only flight according to these monitors going to Dallas is at 6:15 tonight. This blue guy was REALLY rude and told my co-flight compatriot that he was looking to early that his flight didn't leave until 6:30 and it was only 2 and he'd gotten there way too early! Not one to take a hint and realize that this guys strength was NOT customer service, I decided to ask about the 3:30 flight to Dallas - his response... we'll you are too early too. Just wait a little bit - your flight isn't here yet. I walked away - very close to tears, feeling embarrassed, alone and thinking that if I could find a big margarita for under $30 I would drown myself in it. After another run around that took me back to the broken down monitor I found another set of monitors with the A thru D flights and was able to find my gate number. I arrived at my gate, sat down and tried to relax. I had a book, I'd been through the worst - right?
#4 - minding my own business I tried to board the plane and was stopped - yep they were doing random searches and I was chosen. Obviously the were not doing any profiling there - blond, mid-30's, looks like a mom! I was patted down while I worried that my little indiscretion with the gallon sized bag would be discovered - ugh! Thankfully I was not arrested for my gallon sized bag and was able to fly out of that airport without anymore shots to my self-esteem.
Moral of the story? I don't have one. I'm just glad to be home.
FYI - Dallas to Austin was a lot less exciting, thank goodness!

The next blog will be a thank you to my in-laws. I would do that here but they deserve a complete blog because they are so wonderful - I'm still uncovering their little "gifts" to me around the house.