Time Out for Women 2013

This past weekend, K and I got to attend Time Out for Women and Girls.  It was awesome.  I am so glad that we went.  I have gone to Time Out for Women many times and I highly recommend it.  It has never failed to uplift my heart and touch my soul.  I try to make it a weekend away, even if it happens to be close to home.

We were lucky that the conference was a mere 30-45 minutes away, but K and I did get a hotel room to relax from the rest of our lives and spend time together.

I knew a LOT of people that were there, my old ward, my new ward, my sister and her ward, other friends, etc.  Friday night, we got to sit with this wonderful group of women from my current ward.  I love them all.  I would love to get to know them better even.  

 This is K and I before leaving our hotel.   How I love this girl!  She is amazing and I am so glad that she is my daughter.

 We drove over with friends.  This is the other girl, M.  I am glad that she and K were able to get to know each other better.  Their family recently moved into our ward and we think they are pretty special. 

 They had some fun props with which to take silly pictures, so we did:  M, K, me, and G.  We put them down and did a serious one too.  :)

On Saturday, I got to sit with one of my best friends in the world, J.  I just love her so much.  As we sat together and some of the talks focused on the deep trials of life, I couldn't help but remember J and her support of me before, during, and after the divorce.  She has been there for me every single step of the way.   She has cried tears of heartache with me, she has given me sound advice on the days that I did not think I could go on, and she has rejoiced in my joys as my life has now been turned around.    She is one of my angels that went through it all with me.  I am so blessed. 

I learned a lot of things from the conference.  I have pages of notes to review and help me as I try to better my life.  One thing that I noticed was just the immense peace and joy and comfort of the Spirit as I sat there with so many women of faith that all want to be better just like I want to improve.  The Spirit was tangible.

As mentioned before, we also hosted a farewell party for good friends after the Time Out conference.  Thank goodness for CK.  He cleaned/tidied/prepared our home while I was away.  When I got home, all I had to do was decorate.  The chairs were up.  The couches were moved.  The floor was vacuumed.  He is amazing.  We could not have hosted it without him.  I am so glad we did.  It was last minute and I know many could not make it, but this was the only time to have Bishop S be there too.  I love this family.  And, it is obvious that others do too....for they came.  They came straight from the airport.   They came from Time Out.  They came with kids that were tired.  They came to wish this good family lots of love and best wishes for the future.  They came.  Speaking of tangible, the love that was present in our home was tangible.  I was blessed to be a witness to this event.

And, speaking of being blessed, I must have a nap every day to make it through Seminary and pregnancy and life.  I didn't get a nap Thursday due to dentist appointments.  I didn't get a nap Friday due to leaving for Time Out.  We were up late Friday.  We awoke relatively early Saturday.  I did not get a nap Saturday either.  And I drove and came straight home to be hostess at the farewell party.  YET....I truly believe in miracles.  I was not overly tired.  I was not worn out.  I was not exhausted.  I know that the Lord made it possible for me to do with little sleep.  I could not have physically handled yesterday on my own.  He made it up.  It is another evidence to me of two things:  the Lord also loves the S family and wants them to know, and the Lord also loves me and showed it by taking care of me.  I believe in miracles.