Crashing Blissdom

I got the most incredible opportunity to meet with some of the Blissdom folks tonight.

Blissdom, you say? Is that some kind of new age fangled thing?

Nope...it's a conference for bloggers by bloggers. I didn't have tickets to go because with The Scribblers and The Grays needing my attention...well, you know how that goes. But then my phone croaked. Yes, croaked now known as Official BlogFrog ring tone...anyways, I digress...

Holly with The BlogFrog team invited me to come to dinner. As I pushed away from my own dinner table and rubbed my full gut, I thought..well, I guess I could eat again. I would hate to miss the opportunity to meet all these fantastic bloggers on the account of post-dinner belly swelling. The only problem was by the time I got the message I had just one hour to get ready (already in pjs with wet hair) and drive to OpryLand.

It was a scary whirlwind of action as I ran to the closet and began trying on something other than the Medela nursing tanks and yoga pants I have been living in postpartum. I turned on the blow dryer, had The Scribblers handing me make-up like nurses in an operating room and began the "my pants are too tight to get over my hips bouncy" dance.

Finally ready, I got the tweet telling me to meet her in the lobby. Here is a picture of the lobby...have you ever really had the urge to do Chopsticks or pull out your own version of "Great Balls Of Fire"...yeah, me too.

Anyways, I restrained myself much to the relief of the other patrons and began looking for Holly (who I have never met in person. All I knew was she was a blond lady.) I ended up asking this woman if she knew what Blissdom was and if she knew Holly...

Um yeah...that lady with the cut off face was not Holly and she knew what Blissdom was...she was the Great Alli Worthington and Blissdom...yeah, it's her conference *starstruck swoon*

So Holly sends me a message that she is sending Rustin to come get me. Uh...hello Rustin...you mean like, The Rustin from The BlogFrog. HolySchmoly!!!

So Rustin shows up and Oh My Goodness...he recognizes me...ME!!! (Squeal!!) So we start walking the 25 miles across the hotel to the restaurant and...OH MY SHOES!! Apparently while I was pregnant my feet expanded another size because firey burning blisters popping up in mile two of our jaunt.

And then there they were...my bloggy heros!!!

Pardon the blur of the picture but that is what happens when you are so nervous you can't contain yourself. Those people would be Holly, Rustin, SaraCrowe (we are now like "this") geekmommy, typeamom and morethanmommy...hello big fish in my tadpole pond.

We chatted, laughed and discussed bacon...a lot. Then sadly it was my time to go...the pumpkin was going to change and all...and I left.

Did I mention I paid my bill?

Yup, I had forgotten that part and had to run (aching blisters) back to the table to get my tab paid. Nothing like meeting some of your heroes for the first time and stiffing them with the bill...

So now I am back at home and have my glass slippers off, miserable from two dinners in one night and thrilled with all my new friends. The night meant so much to me that I think I am going to take some skin off one of these blisters and put it in the scrapbook....or not....

If you big fish are reading this, thank you so much for a wonderful night and for your warm welcome to the bloggy world!! Let's do lunch...and I promise I will pay!!!

Today's Thing At The Place

So, most of you know that today I attended a Women's Ministry conference at LifeWay. There were tons of seminars (free candy), workshops (free candy), concerts and free candy. I attended none of those (I did however snag some free candy...you know, because I am hugely pregnant and what are they going to say to me for two huge handfuls. Really?!?) I did however, settle my booty on a stool beside my sister and mother and do a little talking. Well, maybe more than a little...perhaps I chugged along like a runaway train. What can I say? I am totally passionate about what I was talking about.

Free candy ya'll.

No, that's not what I spoke about. I just was really happy for the availability of candy.

What I spoke about was adoption issues from the heart of one who was adopted who had issues.

Issues, you ask...what issues?

How could a child chosen to live with a family that really wants them and probably took them out of a rotten situation, possibly have any issues?

Well, it's pretty simple. It's not about the family that chose them, but rather about the one that gave them away. It's not about the mother who tucks them in every night, but about the one who said "I don't want you"

Not all children who are adopted face these feelings, but there are many out there that do and the resources are just not out there to help the child and the adopted parents deal with the emotions that are overwhelming the whole family.

The adopted child often feels unwanted regardless of the fact that they have a new mother and father. They feel different (something must have been wrong with me) They feel anger (why? why? how could you?) They struggle with attachment issues, yet at the same time the anger, confusion and all out hurt causes them to do the very things that would cause someone to reject them. It's almost like they live their life with everyone on a trial basis. The child will often display behaviors simply to see if the new parents' love and commitment is real. When the first actions don't result in rejection, they often times keep turning it up a notch into more dangerous behavior daring rejection to show up, yet not being able to accept the love each time their tests don't push someone away.

Because of very few resources, the children grow up into adults doing the same thing. Always looking for the next hurt, never believing they are loved.

I hope to one day be able to provide this resource for these families. If you have found this blog through the search engines or through a link that has been provided to you and have more questions on the subject, need literature, etc. please use the contact me button on the sidebar. I am happy to candidly answer any and all questions you may have.

Especially on where to score free candy.

More To Come....

These are a few pics from today's conference. I am told (correct me if I am wrong here, Mom) that I will access to the audio from it, so as it becomes available to me; it will be made available to you.

My title says more to come...
And there is. A lot more.

Tonight I plan on writing a post a little more in depth about what I spoke about today. In addition to that, in the next few days, there will be a new page added to this blog all about the adopted child and some of the issues that are faced by many of them. I hope that this will be able to be used as a resource, especially since there are not many resources made available out there.

But for now, here is yours truly...

My Mom and I (plus Baby BigFoot)

My Twin and I (she spoke about miscarriage and did a wonderful job! So proud of her!)