It's been good

The past week was sort of blurry.  Busy and good.

Thursday and Friday I went to Women's Conference at BYU.  I love everything about Women's Conference at BYU, except for maybe the line for the bathroom.  (Here's an insider tip...the bathroom in the ASB is empty.)

My mom and Aunt Olivia were there as well as my sister Olivia, my SIL Katie, my cousins Britta and Hannah and about 10,000 other women.  Maybe more.

(Judging from the line in the bathroom, it was more.)

I go to Women's Conference like a sponge.  I soak up as much goodness and wisdom and insight that I can hold and then some seeps out (a.k.a. I cry).  I loved every class I attended.  I loved seeing my delightful kinswomen.  I loved skipping a session and just sitting in the sunshine and visiting with Hannah.  (It's possible we both cried too...it was one of those kinds of conversations.)  I have a lot of cousins.  Statistically speaking, it makes sense that some of them would be amazing like Hannah.

I went away from the conference like usual, feeling lighter and encouraged and with a desire to do better and be better.  I don't know what more I could ask for.

(Except to be more photogenic.)

Here's a picture of our group.  It's not my most flattering picture, but it's also not my least flattering (because yikes I've taken some bad ones), and I love the people in it.

Olivia, Britta, Katie, my mom, me, Hannah and Olivia--Olivia bookends

Also, happily, this week my text messages have been peppered with pictures of Braeden and kind texts from people he is interacting with in Virginia.  I can't express my gratitude enough for these happy glimpses of his dear face.  I was one of those mothers, passing my phone up and down the row at Women's Conference, showing pictures of my son.

I love how the little guy in front is wearing Braeden's name tag.

I could try to tell you how much I love and miss that boy but I don't have the words.  It's just that a piece of my heart is in Virginia Beach.  (I am happily waiting for Mother's Day when I will get to talk to him on the phone.)

Today marks 8 months--1/3 of the way done!  (But who's counting?  Besides me, obviously....)

A really big part of last week was Mark's play.  It deserves its own post though.  Stay tuned.