I just got home a while ago from the retreat with Lisa's girls and all I can say is 'Wow'.

I will never get over that through the fabulosity of the world wide web I was able to find a girlfriend who is eerily living a parallel life to mine. We have so much in common it's just scary - but in a good way. We both have four kids, love Bible Study, hate fresh tomatoes but love salsa, have the same musical taste...the list goes on. I am so grateful God ordained our paths to cross for I know I've found a friend forever. (Cue Renaldo from AI...Rats, I can't get that song out of my head!)

And the rest of the women? DOLLS - every single one of you! It's only in Jesus that I would have the courage to spend the night with a group I've never met and yet come away feeling I have known you forever. I hope the feeling was mutual! Again, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me the privilege of serving you this weekend. And now that I know a few of you come around here sometimes, I'd better start seeing some comments! :) Especially you, Ms. Pastor's Wife Amy with the mad fire-building skillz. I LOVE meeting ministry wives and I had a great time laughing with you! And you, Leslie, my fellow mommy blogger. I can't wait for pictures when the baby boom hits you two girls!

I also have to give kudos to my hubby who kept the house clean while I was gone. Typically, when the mom is away, the kiddos do tear the house down to the studs so it was quite refreshing to come home and find all as it should be. Luke is the most excellent dad and never begrudges my being gone and for this I will always be grateful. One of his peeves is for dads to talk about 'babysitting' their kids if the wife is gone. My favorite rant of his? "They are YOUR kids, too! You don't BABYSIT your own kids".

Oh how I love that man-o-mine.

There's nothing more awesome than a great Girl Weekend but I also have to admit I'm always glad to get back to the fam. And apparently they are happy I'm home too if the amount of times the boys have sat on me and pooted is any indication. Be it ever so humble, there's no smell like home.

However, and thankfully, The Girl has a different way of expressing how lost she was without me. I asked her if she missed me while I was gone and she said, "I kinda forgot you weren't here."

Family Circle called. They want to give me the "Mom of the Year" Award.

So anyhooty, I'm going to get in here and reconnect with my family and reintroduce myself to my daughter who forgot her mother in 24 hours flat.

Impact, people. We should all have so much.


I'm off....Have a rich Lord's Day!