In the final two weeks before school is out for the summer, I've been able to connect with some friends who I don't get to spend as much time with as I'd like. Jen was able to come over with her kids one day and just as she was leaving, Diane picked me up for lunch.  One day Dawnna picked me up at 6:30pm for supper at Applebees. We did make it to the restaurant parking lot but, at the risk of sounding crazy, we were so busy talking that we didn't even go in. By the time it was 11:30pm, she brought me back home and we still weren't really done talking. I was able to make a lunch connnection with Nan and we've set a date for our official summer trip with Dawn!

I have a lot of aquaintances but it makes my heart so happy that when I look into my life, I have so many people that are made of true friend material. It's not all about me and what they can do for me, and by the same token, it's not all about them either. We're there for each other and can count on each other, through the joys and the tough stuff. There's nothing I like better than laughing with my friends so hard that my stomach hurts! But on the flip side, also spent a lunch hour last week crying on someone's shoulder when I had to deal with some past stuff. I'd rather have real people who know me and still hang around that than a million facebook friends who don't really know me at all. So thanks friends! Especially for putting up with my chaotic schedule! I hope I can be as good a friend to you as you are to me!

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On another note, I attended an awesome workshop last week. Maybe more on the workshop later but this story is about the process. There were some major glitches in getting there. Originally, Steve and I were going to go together. Then I invited our friends Kim & Ryan because I thought they would really benefit from the conference. They said they could go with us and were really excited.

Giltch #1 A few days before the event, Kim texted me. I though maybe she couldn't go. Turned out, she could still go but would need childcare for a few of her kids, so I decided to bring Sophia along. We registered all the kids for childcare.

Glitch #2 Steve forgot to request the day off early enough. He works only one or two Saturday mornings a month but if he wants to make sure he's not on the schedule, he needs to request the time off. He ended up scheduled to work on that day and there wasn't anyone else who could work. I was not very happy with him, to say the least. But I eventually decided to make the best of it and just ride with Kim and Ryan.

Glitch #3 Kim called me to let me know that Ryan couldn't go anymore because he had an interview that morning. I told her how ironic it was that Steve couldn't go either! So we decided to just make a girls day of it, with kids of course.

End Result: Because so many people were interested in the workshop, they decided to offer it twice and the second sesson was on a weekday evening! Kim called me and said that Ryan could go to the evening session. She didn't want to back out on going with me but she really wanted Ryan to hear the material too. Turned out that Steve was willing to skip softball that night and go but he wouldn't be done with work until at least 5:30pm. The conference started at 6:30. So after a lot of back and forth discussion, we ended up with the best of both worlds for all of us. Kim and Ryan picked me up at 5pm and we headed to Sioux Falls. Kim and I were able to chat all the way and I think Ryan took a little nap. Steve drove down as soon as he left work.

I got my 'Kim' time while we were driving. Then I saw a few professional friends at the workshop and was able to visit with them. After a few minutes, Kim & Ryan sat down at a table but I talked so long that other people joined them at their table and they didn't have a seat for me. They were willing to move to a table in the back but it didn't really matter to me. I sat just a little ways away and saved a seat for Steve. The only downfall was that I ended up right in the front. But a bonus was that I started a great conversation with a gal at my table who had a really sad/interesting story. I met a lot of new aquaintances that night, renewed a few friendships and learned a lot from the workshop.

Added bonus: After the workshop, the therapists and a few others caught up to me and we chatted in the parking lot for another hour. Then Steve and I grabbed supper and rode home together.

Glitches and all, it was a great night!
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