BlogHer09, depending on where you look and who you read, you might believe there were two different conferences going on at once.  I’m going to tell you about my experience at BlogHer.  I wasn’t sure what to think, feel or expect but, I packed my 5 outfits, shoes, hair straightener, makeup and my 200 bloggity ‘Monkey Cards’ (Monkey term) and set off for the land of Chicago and the great big Sheraton to hopefully mingle and connect with other people who ‘get it’.

My first experience brought tears to my eyes.  I ran into Loralee in the lobby, recognized her immediately, and tentatively walked up and said “Hi”  She looked at me with complete lack of recognition, I introduced myself and was immediately engulfed in the most ginormous hug and squeals.

That set the tone for my conference.

There were many times that I walked around the conference all by myself and walked up to people whom I thought I recognized or just wanted to say Hi to, there were times where that person was a “BIG DEAL BLOGGER” everyone whom I met was gracious and welcoming, funny and sweet and my head may never go down again from some of y’all telling me how gorgeous and darlin’ I am.  Bless y’all.

I can’t link to everyone, though I want too, because I will inevitably leave someone out.

But this is just the first of my BlogHer posts and in a way the most important.. what I took home with me from BlogHer is a full heart, amazing memories, new friends, stronger bonds with old friends, a lifetime worth of hugs and most significantly for me… I took home a renewed sense of why I blog, what I want from my blogging, and from myself.   I brought home confidence because of the people who told me, ” I love your recipes, you make cooking so easy.. Thank you, my family Thanks You” or “I love your stories about your family, your writing touches me, speaks to me, makes me laugh and realize that I’m not alone”

BlogHer09 gave me confidence, new direction and renewed enthusiasm, listening to others tell why they started blogging, why they continue blogging or what they gain from it.  My heart is overwhelmed.. I feel that my body was hugged but my soul and spirit… they were rejuvenated.  I can never thank Elisa, Lisa and Jory enough for giving this community a voice, a place to gather and learn from each other, to touch, to cry together in person instead of behind our computer screens, to hear the laughter that we’ve only imagined, and have it settle on our hearts and touch our souls.

Thank you for giving me a place that gave me the greatest gift of all:  Confidence in myself, a renewed heart and spirit and best of all.. my bloggy groove back.  I am eternally grateful.

I remember after BlogHer last year that I was fed up with reading posts about it, and yet now, here I am. Writing about BlissDom.
But y’all, how could I not?  It was phenomenal, it defies description.  I met my very first blogger ever in the Houston airport and it was awesome, she is one of the funniest ‘giddy dorks’ that I’ve ever known and she is firmly embedded in my heart from here on out. We had a ridiculously fun time on the flight from Houston to Nashville.  In Nashville we were met at the airport by Dawn aka KaiserAlex and look how she greeted us:

How cute is that!! It was one huge girl crush, love fest, seriously y’all.

Getting to the hotel was a hysterically scrunched but fun ride. 5 chicks in an impala baby, that’s all I have to say.

There was dinner, where Simple Mom and I realized we went to High School together!

The 704 party. #704 on Twitter y’all, the 704 girls are wild, crazy and have huge hearts of gold.  It was in that room that I met her for the first time *swoon* she is everything you imagine her to be, and more.

I have to tell y’all that my roommates were 3 of the most amazing women, that I have ever met.  Deanna, Amber and Robin y’all inspire me, make me giggle and bless me beyond belief. Thank you.

There are so many stories to tell and so many moments that make my heart leap and tears spring to my eyes, both from their sweetness and their hilarity.  Sugar Jones, is everything you imagine her to be times 10. She is vibrant, hysterical, lovely, fun, sweet and larger than life.  Sugah, I heart you.

JessicaKnows: ‘When I get Nervous’ girl, you are too much all wrapped up in a bundle of adorableness.

I could just turn this whole post into a love letter to all of the women that I met at BlissDom because each of them touched me, all metaphorically except for her, Tanis actually groped me , I think it was because the girls looked so good in my new Maidenform bra that Jenny hooked me up with.  Jennifer I want to take you home with me, or move where you are, because you are just as sweet and funny in real life as you are on your blog, plus… you are so dang adorable!!!  Jen Lancaster is a rockstar, she is funny as hell and sweet as pie.  If you haven’t read her books, you are really missin’ out. She was a kick trash keynote speaker and a cool chick to hang out with.

Jyl and Carissa from Mom it Forward you two are what this is all about.  Changing the world, one mom at a time. Y’all are inspirational, positive and truly amazing… and, you throw a really fun party!  Thank you for giving me the opportunity to pay it forward and to meet some great ladies and sing some silly songs.  I have video.

White Trash Mom Holla Girl! You are fantastic in your pearls and boots, and you like my shoes. Seriously, BFF’s.

Moosh girlfriend, here’s to dancing on the bar at Coyote Ugly, karaoke, socks under the table, Diet Coke savior and everything else. My heart, my friendship all yours girl. You are as real as they come.

Heather what can I say? You can belt it out, work a stage and hang.  You are awesome and must move to Texas.

I learned a lesson. Stop talking to people with iphones because they tweet everything you say.  Something about feet having orgasms, hope you tweeples got a kick out of that.  The shoes, were a hit. Just check out flickr and BlissDom09 if you don’t believe me.

I think I’m going to start a whole page of my BlissDom Buddies just so I can link and write each one a note because I really need one more thing to do.

Coming home from BlissDom was both exciting and sad, I was driving and thinking about all of the amazing experiences and people that I met, I was exhausted and exhilerated and kind of dragging.. yet when I opened my car door I was leapt upon by two screaming bouncing kids and I remember where I belong.  I was dragged inside and told to close my eyes:

I opened them and saw these:

My husband knows me well.

Read a card that made me cry and then they surprised me with a MacBook! So thank you Heather for letting me play with yours, I think you must be good luck! By the way.. Heather has some of the most gorgeous shiny hair ever, she and Megan… they have hair that I would kill for. They should be hair models.

There’s so much more but I have no more time, I’m still trying to figure out this MacBook (THANK YOU NATHAN!!) My husband blesses me more than anything.

So, if you didn’t get to go to BlissDom09, you have to start planning NOW for BlissDom10 because it was fantastic.  Positive, fun, enlightening, enjoyable, hysterical, droolworthy and truly just something that left me feeling full in my heart, uplifted in my spirit and my stomach hurt from laughing.

*I know I didn’t link to everyone that I wanted to but y’all, I do have to at least pretend to be a mom, right? MWAH!