Titles are Overrated

*****This is going to be a VERY LONG POST filled with pictures and words!*****

The Weekend Part One: San Antonio-The Siesta Fiesta

Hi y'all! I am home from San Antonio and all is well! First of all I must say, this summer has been a total blast. This weekend was not the official end of summer, but since I have started school already I am counting it as the last hurrah! It has been bittersweet.

Emily, Janice, Me, Frannie, Bev, Steph and Jenny

Is Frannie not the most beautiful woman? She is just as sweet as she is pretty!


Darlene is very fun and super sweet. She just has a kindness that sort of seeps out of her.

Friday before the conference started we had to wait outside of the Alamodome for a few minutes. It was windy and sprinkling and I was pretty darn whiny about it!

Once we got inside, after we registered for the Siesta Fiesta we pretty much had two hours to kill which is when I met Angie! Angie is from Michigan too and we both thought it was funny that it took us flying all the way to Texas to finally meet face to face! Especially since she lives about a half hour from me! Pictured with us is Joanne...she is so beautiful! It was a goal of mine to meet up with Joanne because Susan speaks so fondly of her! Joanne is precious. I got to sit next to her during lunch on Friday and got to know her a little bit! She is truly a joy.

Amanda came out during the waiting time too! She is Beth Moore's daughter and she is so nice! Having read her blog for the past year and a half, it was so nice to introduce myself to her. She is very pretty and tall too! I was standing on my tippy toes!
Here is me with some more tall girls. Abby, Lindsee and Shelly! They are the cutest, fresh out of college girls in blogland! Seriously, C-U-T-E!

Darlene, Kathleen from Texas, Steph and The Prof.



I was standing there and above all of the voices, which were pretty much a dull roar, I hear "Terrriiiiiiiii........TEEEERRRRRRRIIIIIIII" It was my girl Jackie! Oh the joy to finally meet precious Jackie! We have been communicating by phone, text and email since last fall! It was fun to meet face to face, even though we didn't spend much time together!

I have to admit, I was a crab the whole weekend. Seriously, my brain was fried from lack of sleep. I tried not to be a so wretched, hopefully you all can forgive me!!!!!!

The fellowship among us was light and fun. Jenny Hope is probably one of the funniest girls I have ever met! I mean it, this girl just cracks me up. She is full of wit and a tad bit of sarcasm. (Yeah right...a tad bit.) Anyway, she kept the room rolling with laughter.

Meeting Stephanie was fun! She is a great girl with a big heart. We shopped together on Friday which was great! We both heart our husbands!

Hanging out with The Prof was good too! She is one hip momma !

Ohhhh! I can't forget Suzi! (I don't have any pictures of you Suzi :( )She is awesome! She brought her little baby Aliya...what an angel!

I adored Fran! It was really good to hang out with her some.

The word Beth taught over the course of the weekend was life altering for me. Yes, it was that good. The most profound part for me was one of the points she gave us.

"I am an heir of God...He is my portion, and I am His. "

The fact the God sees us as His inheritance, his treasure. His joy. It makes me shake my head in wonderment at such an amazing God.

The weekend Part Two: Goodbye Book Girls.

When I made my plans to go to San Antonio in the first place I had no idea we would be having book girls again this summer. Paul bought me my ticket for the conference last year in September when I was still feeling the sadness from saying goodbye to them the first year.

I thought I was going to handle it just fine but while I was in San Antonio, the best way that I can describe it is that even though I wanted to be in San Antonio, my heart was home. Because it would be the last weekend with The Book Girls. Friday morning I woke up just sick. I was anxious. As soon as I figured out what was making me so uneasy I got on the internet and changed my flight. Originally I was to fly home Sunday, but I changed the plans so I could be home Saturday night. I will never in a minute regret that decision.

This morning in church my heart was so happy. I was sitting in the midst of these girls and just filled with an indescribable joy. Tears rolling down my cheeks at the blessing of having experienced all that we have together. It was a moment in time that I will always cherish.

Our big happy family. We loved having them for the summer!

The book girls and the kids! These girls became like big sisters to my kids. They loved on them and treated them so nicely.

My heart is better for knowing these three young women!
You already know how I feel about my Laura girl! My God, I love this sweet girl. Kindred Spirits.

Beautiful sweet Shannon.

This is Michelle, she is so kind and gentle.

As much as I miss the sound of the genteel southern voices of my roommates, I am so happy to be here, back in my real life. Today as I was trying to grasp the enormity of what my heart feels I had this thought. It hurts to say goodbye, but loving people is worth any amount of pain that exists upon a parting scene. I met some wonderful women this weekend and had to say goodbye. I came home, just to be there to say goodbye to the book girls. My heart is not sad because of vacancy, it is so very full of love right now. Although, my life seems a little drab with an empty basement.

To not love at the risk of losing someone would be so much worse than a full heart of love and an empty home. I know God will soothe the pain of them leaving, and I would much rather have this, than to have not loved at all. These girls changed my life. They changed the atmosphere in our home. They made me smile and laugh and they brought so much light to our dark basement. Mostly, they made me rich in love. It is the greatest wealth I can know!

We clung to each other and and cried. Hugs, more hugs and more tears. I came in and sobbed into my pillow after they left, and now I am here. My heart is so very good.