{Time Out for Women}

I just spent the most wonderful weekend with these amazing ladies in San Antonio. We attended the "Time Out for Women" conference on Friday evening and most of the day Saturday and it was so much better then I could have even imagined - so uplifting. I laughed A LOT. I cried. I pondered. I danced (thanks to a hilarious boy-band montage by Jericho Road). Hey, I even shopped (gotta love Riverwalk mall and Market Square which were walking distance from the conference). It was a-maze-ing and I vow to never miss out on that experience ever again. I am already looking forward to next year.

My top three most favorite speakers were Sheri Dew, Amanda Dickson and Kris Belcher; and I am not even exaggerating when I say that Kris Belcher has completely changed my life. She was my favorite, by far - so inspirational, down-to-earth, and fun. It seemed to come so effortlessly to her, too.

She told the funniest story (I'll try to do it justice, but she has a sort of comedic ease that I could never compare to). First a little background: she was born with cancer in both eyes and had to have major radiation treatments at 8-months old. She spent her life being 100% blind in one eye and 80% in the other. When her sons were 2 and 4 years old she learned that the cancer was back and her only good eye (if 20% sight can be called "good") had to be removed. Not only that, the tissue and eyelids surrounding had to go also which ruled out most prosthetics.

Now, the funny story: She talked about how there have many times since then that she has found herself in strange and awkward situations (understandably). Once, she was on her way to a Belcher Family Reunion and had her husband escort her to the restroom before joining the family for the festivities. She entered the bathroom stall, closed the door behind herself and readied herself by pulling her clothes down. The next step was to locate the toilet, so reached behind herself to find out where to sit down and instead of feeling a cold, porcelain potty, she felt a head of hair. So, (as she said it) "I very quickly UNreadied myself" and before leaving the stall in a frantic hurry asked the little head, "was that scary for you"? To which the head replied in a little, tiny expressionless voice, "yeeeah". So she beat her way out of the stall with her cane and when she made it to the rest of her family she announced that she'd pay for therapy. She said that to this day when she goes to the Belcher Family Reunions, at least once someone says, "Uh oh, Jessica. Here comes Aunt Kris."



And Also - most importantly - a very special thanks goes to my in-laws, Charlyn and Mark, for letting me and my gal pals stay with them for the weekend. And also for hosting what became an impromptu Karaoke Night late into the night Saturday (actually, more like until early into the morning Sunday). It was hilarious and so much fun! Love you guys! My friend Lisa and I truly captured the essence of Britney Spears' "Baby, One More Time" as you can see from the crazy-ponytail photos below. We also gave our all to Aerosmith's "Cryin'" and Spice Girls' "Tell me What You Want". It was so fun - you rock, Lisa! And Bonnie and Mary did magical renditions of "Insensitive" and "Glory of Love". You guys should start a group because you sounded awesome.



Some thoughts and quotes from the weekend:

"We should be thankful that so much is required of us [...] Heavenly Father is a God of high expectations." - Sheri Dew

"How much influence do you have? Where do you use it? And who has the most influence on you?" - Sheri Dew

"You can have a spiritual experience every day IF YOU WANT TO." - Sheri Dew

"No one has more influence on man or child than a wife or mother." - Sheri Dew

"A lack of friends is as devastating to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day or abusing alcohol." - Amanda Dickson

"The word friend is such a small word for all the relationships it's meant to hold." - Amanda Dickson

"Relief Society is really just women assigned to love other women. It's amazing and there's nothing else in the world like it." - Amanda Dickson

"Our friends are like free botox." - Amanda Dickson

"Be a great friend to yourself, but not at the exclusion of others. Rather, so you can love others." - Amanda Dickson

"The road to greatness is paved with whining." - Emily Watts

"Your heart wants to be happy - so let it!" - Emily Watts

"God wants me to be an individual, but to do that with what I was given." Artist Cassandra Barney in Matt Baldwin's lesson about non-conformity.

"If we live looking to God we can reach the promised land, which is a place next to God." - Kris Belcher

"Sometimes we ARE given more than we can handle. Otherwise, we wouldn't need the Savior." - Kris Belcher