Getting Back on Track

I took a few days off from blogging while I attended the annual MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers International) Convention.

Since Baby Changes Everything is a MOPS brand book, I was asked to teach a workshop at the Convention. And, since the Convention was in Orlando, Rob and Christa came along. You don't get that close to Orlando and not take your 6 1/2 year old daughter with you!

The Convention is an amazing event. Thousands of women--4-5,000 of them--get together to learn how to be better MOPS leaders.

MOPS knows how to throw a party too. They bring in great worship leaders like Sara Groves and Matt Redman. They add performers like Go Fish, a Christian a cappella group whose goal is to perform music for kids that doesn't drive parents bonkers.

General session speakers included Elisa Morgan, MOPS CEO, and Naomi Cramer Overton, MOPS President, and authors John Ortberg and Julie Barnhill.

Rob took Christa to Sea World while I taught my workshop "Baby Changes Everything: Now Tell Me Something I Don't Know." Yes, it played off the title of my book, but the workshop focused on how our children change us--how motherhood is a life-changing experience.

The next day it was time to tackle The Magic Kingdom! While Christa, Rob and I rode Peter Pan's Flight and Dumbo and The Jungle Cruise, I kept hearing echoes of my first three kiddos' laughter. The last time we'd visited Disneyworld, Amy was Christa's age. It was fun to tell Christa, "We did this with Josh and Katie Beth and Amy too!" as we climbed through The Swiss Family Robison's Tree House or listened to the Tiki Birds singing. The day seemed all the more special to Christa because she was following in her brother's and sisters' footsteps.

Now I'm back on the mommy-track. We got back home--and Christa got sick with a bad flu. There was no time to unpack my "professional" clothes. I was too busy caring for my oh, so miserable daughter. Back to reality--and I'm okay with that. Christa bounced back quickly, as young children do. The suitcases got unpacked. It's good to get away--and it's always good to come back home.

Life is good.