Women's Conference 2011

Left to right: Lori, me, Natalie, Deb

April 29, 2011

(Sadly this is the only photo from my trip to Utah.  I decided to take my old camera so I wouldn't have to worry about my nice camera.  Turned out to be a bad decision cause it died on me.)

In January Natalie asked me if I would like to come to Women's Conference.  Of course, I wanted to go but wasn't sure if I could work out the details of making it happen.  I talked with Chris and he said he couldn't get the time off from work.  Little did I know that he was secretly planning a surprise trip for me to go!  He was going to tell me on Valentine's Day but he could not hold the secret in that long.  He was so excited tell me!  My husband really knows how to spoil me.  

This was my first time going and it was a wonderful experience! It is held on the BYU campus in Provo, Utah. In a nutshell ( description borrowed from their website) this is what women's conference is all about:

The BYU Women’s Conference is a two-day conference for those 16 and older. We have general sessions where all participants meet together in the Marriott Center. We also have concurrent sessions, when you get to choose from 14 or 15 different sessions per hour. Topics include home, family, marriage, service, gospel topics (scripture/doctrine), and others such as missionary work and education—all discussed from a gospel perspective and directed toward women. 

This year's theme was "By Small and Simple Things Are Great Things Brought to Pass" Alma 37: 6-7.   It was so hard to decide which classes to choose.  Needless to say it was a two day spiritual feast!  I listened to some excellent speakers.  It was a much needed time out from day to day life where it is so easy to get caught up in the here and now and on things that really just aren't that important. A chance to step back and look at things with an eternal perspective. Attendance ranges from 15,000 to 18,000 women!  One of my favorite parts was when we would all gather in the Marriott Center.  When we would all sing songs together the feeling and spirit was incredible. 

We also had time in the evenings to eat out, do a little shopping and enjoy some girl talk. I then got to spend a couple days with the Pierce family in Garland which was also a treat!  Special thanks to Natalie for thinking of me.  Thanks to Deb and Lori for sharing their hotel room and experience with a stranger.  Our common love of Natalie brought us all together.  Hopefully we will be able to do it again someday!

Chris was completely worn out when I got home and much more appreciative of me.  Chris swears he did not sleep the whole time I was gone.  He tried to get Ashlyn to sleep with him but she said he "squeezes too hard"!  Which is very true.  I think Ashlyn missed me the most while I was gone.  She is completely devoted to me...though oddly enough that devotion doesn't usually translate into trying to please me...she is such a unique little person.  She did clean her room for me again and insisted on getting me pink roses.