Waking Up Early: Day 2 - Conference

My husband and I are attending the D6 Conference in Louisville, Kentucky right now.  Yesterday was so insanely busy that I did not get to write, because after nursing the baby for an hour to get her to sleep, my eyeballs just could NOT stay open to tell you about it.  I guess that means I've failed the "Writing" part of the challenge already.  However, this was far more about the "Wake Up Early" part of the challenge for me, and I DID THAT! Let me tell you about it.

I set my alarm, but it never had time to go off because John woke me up saying, "It's 7:38!" I was like, "No! I set my alarm for 7:27!" Time change problem.  Oops.  So really, in our home timezone, it was 6:38, so I am counting that one as a win!  I got right on up so I could get ready to go downstairs for the Opening Session.  By "got right on up" that means, I moved the baby from the crook of my arm to my chest, and rocked back and forth several times with my feet in the air before being able to use my core strength to pull myself up to seated on the edge of the bed, sleeping babe in arms, to stand up and slightly bounce baby.  From the standing bounce, I go to bend forward to ever-so-gently lay baby in the pack'n'play, so I can sneak to the bathroom, wash my face, and force my eyeballs open to put in my contacts.  Once I can see straight, it's game-on!

I was ready to go downstairs at the same time as John, so we stood at the elevators together.  He pushed the down button then ran back to the room saying "Hold it if it comes! I'll be right back!"  I felt a little apprehensive about this.  About 12 seconds later one of the four elevators stops, and doors parted to a small audience of about 8 people, mixed ages and genders.  I looked at them, and thought of my dear husband's orders, and I stepped forward.  I put one foot inside the elevator, and said, "I'm so sorry, my husband told me to hold this and he'd be right back." I nervously avoided eye contact with the people because I felt about as annoying as someone who cuts in line at Walmart, then hollered back towards the hallway direction, "John are you coming?"  No response.  I backed out of the elevator quickly and said, "I just can't do it." I was talking more about not making this elevator full of people wait, but I don't know what they thought I was talking about, because several of them were laughing as the elevator doors closed again.  15 seconds later John runs back.  I told him what happened and he laughed, "I didn't mean for you to hold an elevator with PEOPLE!  Just an empty one!"  Clarity would have been nice.

In the first session I posted this picture of Karis "driving" yesterday, with this quote:

"You are not going to provoke me, and I am not going to provoke you." - Emerson Eggerichs this morning at#D62014 @loverespectinc #loverespectinc This was a Game Changing message this morning for me in my parenting of these 'little people.' Thank you Lord for this message! Ephesians 6:4

Fast forward through the first two fantastic learning sessions, because I'm going to have to process these things, and live in the new truth a little while before I can honestly share just how much it changed me.   I headed back tot he hotel room so I could go and feed the baby.  Only, this hotel has two large towers with a breeze way and restaurants in between.  I went up the wrong tower.  John had luckily seen me, because just as I got off and was thinking, "Something just doesn't look right." he called and said, "Come back down.  I just saw you go up the wrong elevators.  You are in the wrong building."  My brain is just NOT wired for directions.

Then I fed the baby, made sure Jonah and our sweet trip accompanying "nanny" Jessica, were fed, and then I went back to the next few sessions.  More EXCELLENT, WISE content about marriage, family, parenting, and loving our church was poured into me.  I will share this soon.  Then on the lunch break we walked out of the building to a food court area.  On the way back it was obvious both kids needed to nap, and I am the only one who can get them both to sleep at the same time, so I left John and Jessica to walk around conference booth paraphernalia, and I headed back toward the room.  Our conference was on floor two of what we will call tower A.  Our room was on floor 17 of what we will call tower B.  The walk-way to connect them was on floor 3.  So you can choose to go down or up just one nice little escalator to get to the breezeway level instead of walking over and waiting about 7 seconds for an elevator.

John is an expert at managing the stroller on escalators.  I thought I could do it, too.  Apparently, not so much.  John and Jessica had both put their Dr. Pepper cups in the top of the stroller, safely in the cup holders, with lids secured.  However, if you let a stroller go up the escalator just enough to realize you aren't strong enough to pull the back end of the stroller up to be level with the front end, while you are wearing your 8 month old baby on your front in an ergo carrier, you may just have to yank that stroller right back down.  As it jumps two or three emerging escalator steps (because those steps just keep popping up, folks), the Dr. Peppers JUMPED out of the top and FLIPPED down on top of Jonah and the escalator!  Props to little man because he CAUGHT one of them RIGHT-SIDE UP!  It was amazing, really that less damage was done, I suppose.  I was shocked as I furtively looked around that no one saw this embarrassing debacle.  I just high-tailed my booty over to the elevators while apologizing to Jonah, who sat in stunned silence, sprinkled with Dr. Pepper.

After getting the kids asleep, Jessica returned, and I was able to attend more First rate teaching sessions.  For real, this conference was spectacular. D6, based on Deuteronomy 6, and emphasizing family ministry, was good stuff, through and through.  I'm so glad I got up early for it.

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