I WASN'T MURDERED

This past weekend was my big Orlando getaway. The last time I blogged was from the Denver airport on my way out of dodge. Any of you who know me personally, know that I have been sharing this excitement for months now. Most people who are not bloggers have just been skeptical that somehow, someway I was going to be murdered. Better yet, some of you have even thought that I'd be taken to some far off land where my kidneys would be extracted and sold at market value. I'm here to tell you that I survived Orlando 2011 and I am already marking my calendar for Orlando 2012.

I can not even begin to tell you how great it is to be in a room full of other women who really "get" it. With women who do not say dumb things like "she's really great for me" or better yet "we are SO bonded, he really opens up and talks to me"..... WHATEVER!! The insight and camaraderie of the 68 women bonded us instantly. No one cared if you were short or tall, thin or fat, gay or straight, single parenting or co-parenting, rich or poor, had adopted locally or internationally, had 1 or 14 children, home schooled or public or private schooled, are vegan or vegetarian or a carnivore, are a working mom or stay at home mom, blog or not, are atheist or a pastors wife, old or young, or any other combination you can think of. NO. ONE. CARED! It was enough to know that we are all fighting for the same outcome; to raise happy healthy humans. That alone was enough to bring us together like soul sisters.

We ended up with 7 different villas with an average of 10 women in each house. In my villa alone we had close to 50 kids from all over the world. China, Haiti, Ethiopia, United States and Russia to name a few. With 6 kids I looked like child's play compared to the women who are raising 10 or more children. I am now aware that I am not the only women who drives a giant pimped out van for her everyday ride. We laughed so hard we cried and cried so hard we laughed. We shared our innermost thoughts (none of which you'd really like to know) and our everyday struggles. We let down our guards, kicked off our shoes (and suits), ate until our bellies were full, and let each other into our private worlds. It was amazing, it was refreshing, it was a welcomed unforgettable time. I am not speaking for everyone, but for me, this is one of the things that I will forever remember as a "game changer", another item checked off my bucket list. No, I don't have "Travel across the country and meet up with 67 women you don't know" on my list, but I did have "Let my guard down, open up and meet people who don't fit in the worldly box", and I did just that. I will forever be bonded to these women who are fighting my same fight, who will tell me to "get up" when I fall down.

Here's a peek at how much fun I had:

Now, obviously, this is NOT real. This is henna. But......................................

This one, on the other hand, is real. It was my first tattoo and I am loving it. I am planning on adding a different little item to her representing each run I run from now on. It is on my lower back.

So, I'm back. A little more colorful and a lot more fueled for these six kids who wear me out!!