Laughter is healing

In November, my big sister Catina and I attended a Women's conference in Uptown Charlotte called Sweet Sisters. When I registered I never dreamed I'd be taking a two week old to the conference (because that's just plain nuts), I'd planned on taking a four week old and c'mon - that's a big ole difference. Well, the Good Lord (as y'all well know) had other plans and Micah came at 42 weeks taking his sweet ever loving time to make his grand entrance and thus I had to decide whether or not I could take a 2 week old to a Women's Conference in Uptown Charlotte. I mean, I really struggled to decide what was best. I knew the conference would be uplifting in ways I couldn't imagine and I figured chances were good that he would nurse and sleep and repeat approximately umpteen times during the course of the weekend. So: in the end, I decided to go and I'm so incredibly glad I did. I mean, I was in the throws of sleep deprivation and milk leakage and post partum frump but I knew if I could muster the strength to put it all aside, the Lord would meet me there and He absolutely did. I laughed, I cried, I worshipped and I learned and all along side my big sister with a sweet sleeping baby on my chest, all wrapped snuggly in my Moby Wrap: what could be better?!?! I'm going to tell you - not much. As an added bonus one of my really great friends from high school came up with her Mom and it was a special treat to get to spend some time catching up with her too.

The draw to the conference were two of my favorite people in the blogosphere. Sophie Hudson (Boo Mama) and Melanie Shankle (Big Mama) were the headliners for the conference and I was thrilled about the opportunity to hear them speak. I've been reading their blogs since I started blogging (like 7 years ago - that's just crazy in and of itself) and mostly their posts make me laugh but they've also inspired me and informed me and touched me and all in a way that made me laugh til' my sides hurt. They've both published multiple books in the last several years and I've read them all. They are very different writers but their books are all wonderful, easy, uplifting and quick reads. They are just real people who love Jesus and have insanely hilarious senses of humor.

Here are just a few pictures I snapped during the event.

This first one is of my friend from high school Casey and I. She was getting in lots of baby snuggles because she (along with most of my other friends) is "done" but still loves a good "baby fix".

 Here is my sweet sister Catina along with Melanie and Sophie. I tried to act really cool when I met them and not be completely star struck and act a fool but I was totally geeking out on the inside. Just keepin' it real. They were so nice and complimentary and were like "oh my word...how old is that tiny peanut?" and then I told them and shared he was my fourth and they were like "oh........." and knowingly nodding like mmmmhmmm, if that was your first there ain't no way you'd be here and that thought is 100% correct. He was an angel baby and I'm so glad I went - it was awesome.

I would love to go and see them again at some point in the future if possible but in the meantime I've been enjoying listening to their podcasts on my phone. I feel like I've opened up an entire new universe of things with the whole podcast situation. I'm extremely technologically challenged so the fact that Podcast has even become part of my vocabulary is something to behold. The next time you go for a walk or run or car ride or even clean your house, put in your earbuds and prepare to laugh hysterically - their Podcast is called The Big Boo Cast and it will literally make you laugh until you cry. So funny! It is also informative in all things fashion and skin care but even those topics are laced with tons of humor. Anyhow, these ladies were and are tons of fun. So glad I got to meet them.