Retreating

This has been a truly delightful time.  I am so grateful.  My smile is back and my heart is light.  Even with the temptation of an additional night away--thank you Dad--I feel renewed and ready to return.  I have one more special thing I get to do before I leave, coffee with tonia, and then I will be on the road.
I have written, read, slept, sketched, painted, walked, talked, been silent, taken oodles of pictures, pampered myself, enjoyed wine and chocolates, and generally just done what I have wanted.  Even better is that my Heart has been free to sing, pray, praise and delight in it all.
I am thinking and praying about how to cling lightly to all of this when I return.  There's the rub.  And yet I feel I will be able to somehow.  And I might just have to make that Stuffed French Toast with Berry Compote like I just enjoyed for breakfast.

R&R

 

So, I was taillights pulling out of the farm at seven yesterday morning.  I drove to Portland, stopping as I wanted, going wherever I pleased.  It was amazing.

I stopped at a few small towns along the way.  Did you know they pump your gas in Oregon?  That was a new experience for me.

With the time zone change I even had an extra hour.  I checked into my room and went in search of Chinese food.  It was awful, but I did get my haircut while I was out.  (Remind me to someday tell my stories about getting my haircut in China.) As my last haircut, not by my own scissors, was last December I was due.  Jeannine, I miss you!!!

I was back in my room by about seven and just read for awhile sipping mint tea I brought with me from our grove.  It was truly luxurious.

I woke ridiculously early, but went back to sleep for a bit.  Now, I need to get ready and go have breakfast--that someone else will cook and clean up from! 

I am heading into the city then to explore a few sights and then hopefully will get to meet up with someone special.  Having been inspired by her words and life for years now, we are planning on getting together!  

I am just a LITTLE excited.  I skipped, mind you, to the van yesterday morning.  Not an easy thing to do, skip, in boots, but I did.  And tried not to be too giddy about the fact that I wasn't the one heading out to the barn to milk Buttercup.

I miss everyone at home.  I do.  And I am totally enjoying myself here.

(Bonnie-This beats your idea of a day off by far.)  ;)

Mom Heart Conference!!!

This is just a reminder about the Mom Heart Conference I wrote about a few weeks ago. I signed up then to attend Sally Clarkson's Mom Heart Conference here in Denver in January. Here is the link to register yourself for it as well. Today is the last day to register at the reduced rate.

Is anyone else planning on going? I know there are other Mission of Motherhood fans out there!