Hearts at Home & Host RP

I spent last weekend in Bloominton-Normal, IL for the annual Hearts at Home conference.  I started to attended this "mommy conference" many years ago.  Recently I had taken a few years off.  I missed going, not only for the great content and personal, emotional, spiritual refilling, but it also served as a moms/girls weekend away.  However, I really needed a break from my break (make sense?) so I stopped going.  I was ready and raring to go back this year.  As expected it was so awesome!  The conference speakers and the workshops I took....AMAZING!  God knew exactly what I was needed at this time and made sure I heard it all and tucked it away in my heart & mind to help me in this journey of motherhood.

Don't we look so relaxed and refreshed!

The conference theme was NO MORE PERFECT MOMS.

We still looked relaxed and refreshed (maybe giggly and crazy too, it was LATE and we had been having a ton of fun), but without the mask of nice clothes & make up, I hope you see that we are indeed not so perfect moms.

You can attend the HAH conference for 1 or 2 days depending on how many workshops you want to take.  I could have easily attended 2 days, but only chose 1.  I wanted the other day to relax and do what I wanted.  My friends that I went with was attending both days so while they jetted off to take more classes I made other plans.  Running plans, of course....what else do I do with my free time?!?!?

I contacted my friend Amy, whom, interestingly enough I met 8 years ago through the HAH bulletin board.  We both used to post there and even though we don't anymore, our friendship went beyond just the basic relationship formed there. (I actually have a handful of friendships that started there, but continued beyond and still go strong now).  We are a lot a like especially in the realm of running and fitness.  Knowing she is a maniac devoted runner like I, I knew she wouldn't pass up the chance to run with me.

Of course my non running friends are like "you're getting up at 6:30 a.m. to run when you are in a hotel away from your family?!?!  that's crazy!"  Why, yes, thank you it is!  I was slightly at the mercy of Amy & her schedule and what she could do for me.  Yes, I could have ran later in the day on my own.  However, it's always funner with someone else and I don't know the town/area that well.  So it made sense to hook up with Amy.  She's a great runner and great company.

When I got to her house she mentioned she was hoping for 7 miles.  Sounded good to me, anything beyond 5 was meeting my goal so off we went.  The pace was neither fast nor slow.  We easily chatted along and clocked away the miles.  She took me to several areas of town.  Around ISU campus, through the Constitution Trail, downtown Normal, some other business areas.  Not knowing where her house was in relation to where we were running I was confused, especially when we went well past the 7 mile mark.  I had no clue if we were close to her house or not.  I did not mind that we were going longer, it was just weird not knowing where I was going or when I was going to end.  11.5 miles later we were back at her house.  More than I was expecting, but the time, effort and miles were so enjoyable that I didn't mind at all!!!

Amy was a great running partner!  I only get to her town a few times a year, only once to stay over.  It would be fun to make it a yearly tradition, but we'll see.  For now, I'm thankful for the great run and host running partner to go along with me!  Thank you Amy!!

Us normal?  Naaaah, we don't think so either!