Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh, what a relief it is!

No, I don't have indigestion or heart burn, but I have the wonderful feeling you get after you relieve heartburn. Actually, it's even better. :-)

I got home from the BSF retreat this afternoon around 4:30 or so and when I walked in the house, I heard angels singing. Well, okay, that's not true, but it was so clean and neat that I'm sure they must've been singing in heaven! I think it looked better than when I left Friday morning! Laundry had been done, the kitchen was clean and swept (even the dishwasher and sink were empty of all dishes), our bedroom was picked up and the bed made, the bathrooms were picked up.

Slade amazed me with the effort he put into getting things picked up. I didn't have any expectation of what the house would/should look like and it was a pleasant surprise to see it so orderly and peaceful. He's the best!

It was great to see Slade and the boys and I got lots of sweet hugs and stories of all they had done while I was gone. I am so thankful that they had fun and that everything went so well.

I had a blast on the retreat! It was in Dallas this year at... some big hotel there. Adam's Mark, maybe? It was in the middle of a name change, so I don't know what it's name was/is.

Phyllis, my co-leader, and Ann and Terri (they co-teach the little sweet 2 year olds) and I were in Phyllis' vehicle. We talked and laughed and laughed and talked and the 2 1/2 hour drive passed very quickly.

We got to Dallas around 12:30ish and Terri and I and a few others had nothing to do until dinner at 6. Many in our class were helping out in different capacities (greeting, answering questions, etc), but we didn't have to do that, so a group of us headed out and went shopping. We went to North-something mall...I think. Are you glad I didn't drive? Anyway, we walked around the mall for a little over an hour (in our lovely BSF attire...and shoes!) and then had about 3 hours before we needed to be at dinner.

My roommate, Elizabeth, and I were going to work on our lessons, but instead we talked. And laughed. And talked. And ate Oreos. I really enjoy Elizabeth because she's very transparent and open. She's also due to deliver a baby in 4 weeks, but she kept that baby inside, which I really appreciated as well.

The BSF retreat was similar to other retreats I've been on, but also different. We had a speaker and sessions of lectures, but they were very in-depth and not at all emotional (like you sometimes might get on church retreats). We sang a bunch of songs from our hymnbook, which I enjoyed, although certain people, who will remain nameless (ahem, Terri and Phyllis), distracted me and I kept hitting wrong notes. If they hadn't been making me laugh, I could have hit those high notes, I'm sure. Yeah, so that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

There were just under 3000 men and women there. Probably about 20% men's leaders and 80% women's leaders. It was really neat to sing together and study together with other leaders who are doing similar preparation throughout the week and such.

Our sessions centered around the book of Isaiah and we got a too-brief overview of the whole book during the weekend. We also got to meet some of the leadership that help BSF run so well. It was encouraging, challenging, convicting and inspiring.

I started the weekend with a prayer that God would use the time away to confirm His call for me to do MOPS leadership instead of BSF leadership for the next two years. I knew I would hear inspiring stories of people who give and do so much for BSF and I didn't want to feel regretful about my decision. I feel like I received that confirmation that I am and will be just where God wants me as I finish up BSF and then begin MOPS. I will miss so, so, so many things about leadership, but I just pray that if that is in my future again that God will work out all those details. He's a big God and I'm so thankful I can pray and trust Him to guide me.

Elizabeth and I stayed up late the first night chatting with two other ladies and that was fun. Then Saturday night, we stayed up even later and with almost everyone that came from our class. We laughed and laughed until our sides hurt. What a fun experience to see the ladies I've gotten to know pretty well "let their hair down", so to speak, and get to know them even better. We have a fun group of ladies and I will treasure the memories we made this weekend.

So, it's bittersweet when I think of leaving, but I'll still see everyone while I attend the studies and I look forward to seeing what God has in store for me, as well as who will replace me in the children's area. I just hope she doesn't get too comfy, because in two years, I'm booting her out. Um, just kidding. I hope she loves it as much as I have and that the class grows so much in the next 2 years that they'll need to open up another children's class and I will be able to co-lead there or something. :-)

Well, I really ought to go do something productive or even try to get to bed at a reasonable hour... G'night!