I am fried and I am excited

I just got off the plane from my company's big, annual, national conference they have every year. This year it was in Houston, TX at the Toyota dome. It was awesome.

Here are some random thoughts I have had this week.

I love seeing other cities, meeting new people, seeing airports, etc. It was a lot of fun. I enjoy the aspect of the travel. I love doing this with girlfriends of mine. There are several women who I have become longtime friends with in this business. Going to conference with them every year is something I look forward to.

In fact, my last blog on blondes was done in the hotel room one night, just brainstorming with the girlfriends. Plus, we couldn't find any new program that didn't have anything but garbage about those blonde, overindulged, twits. So, we funneled our silliness and frustration, and it was a collaboration. Thanks to them, I think that was a mighty fine post.

I look forward to local food. We had a hoot of a Texas style barbecue at a sports bar in Houston, just last night. That seems freaky to me as I sit at my office desk right now. To think "I was drinking a margarita and eating pulled pork twenty four hours ago...." It was yummy and fun.

I love getting recharged in my business and getting the new tools and new programs to keep me going for another year until we meet again. From a business aspect, I can't miss it. My main reason for going is the new things they offer.

I love the company I rep for. They care about us and I mean it. They take care of their reps and have a "pay it forward" mentality. They consistently develop programs to fund raise for the American Cancer Society. That is especially meaningful to me because I have lost several friends in the last few years to cancer. A new member of my team just had a pretty major skin cancer lesion removed a few weeks ago.

Every city they hold conference in, they pass a bucket for the local Ronald MacDonald House charities. This year, they raised $25,000. That is just awesome.

I am too old for some things. An aspect of this week was ruined for me because I was in a hotel room with someone who was hard to get along with. It happens. It's happened in the past at these conferences. Not always to me, but it happens. It will happen in the future, and we go on. It's all good!

I also caught my toddler's nasty cold right as the conference started. Conference already takes it out of you physically. You're up late visiting with friends. You sleep in an unfamiliar bed. The morning meetings begin early. You don't get your normal rest. I was even further behind on that because of this silly cold. Of course, now that I am home, I am feeling it lift, although I still have the deep Demi Moore voice, and I'll keep that for a few days.

Aside: You will find out I am a huge "Friends" fan. Remember the episode where Phoebe got sick and loved her really deep voice. She was singing all sultry and sexy. Then she lost it and she was all bummed because her singing went back to normal. That is where I am at in my illness.

I was on an elevator this morning in Houston at five a.m. to catch the shuttle to the airport with my buddies. Three a.m. my local time at home. I am standing there counting the bags under my eyes. Two young guys in the elevator. One says, "You guys are all leaving so late. Why so late?" Keep in mind, there are 6,000 of us, we take over the downtown of a city when we are there. If you just happen to have checked into the same hotel as us, well, we will over take the restaurants, shops, shuttles, taxis, and bars. Your stay is definitely marked by all us reps in every door you darken. So obviously, these guys have run into my kind before. I say to him, "Late? It seems early to me?" scratchily, in my non-morning person voice. He says, "Oh yeah, well why so early." I told him "We're not all going at once. This lobby will be full of us hogging the taxis to the airport all day." Then he tried to get candles from me. Yes, we all hand out candles where ever we go. I say to him "I am sorry, really, I have given all of mine out. I am out of them." He whispers this, "Oh come on. I know you have some. Give me some candles." I answer, "Sorry, this isn't crack. I am out of them. Have a great day."

It was cool to see Houston. The last time I was in Houston, my husband and I were adopting our first son. That was the airport we flew into to scoop him up into our family. It's a special place for me. I said a few prayers as I looked across the skyline thinking of his birthmother. I know for a fact she thinks of him daily. My prayers are that she has all the abundance in her life that she gave us with JM. I pray that by choosing adoption, she has the opportunities available to her that a baby would have postponed. I pray that she has abundance in her life because she chose to give life to a baby when it's really easy to choose abortion and God is blessing her. Those were my prayers for her as I gazed over the Houston skyline. Those are my prayers for her often when I think of her sacrifice. I have nothing but respect and honor for her, and visiting Houston put that in the front of my thoughts all week. Please send a quick prayer of blessing and abundance for her if you can, she deserves it.

Suffice it to say, I was glad to get home. I am glad my oldest son couldn't stop hugging me today. I am glad that I got a four hour nap this afternoon on my new pillow top mattress. I am glad my husband gave me several huge hugs. I am glad to be in my messy office no longer in email withdrawal.

It's good to be home.