It is amazing to think just over two weeks ago I didn't even know there was such thing as a Mormon homeschool conference (in on the east coast at least-I am sure they have them in Utah) and now I am back from it! It was so great, and inspirational, and re-invigorating, and now I am back to reality....and I am ready for reality!
I still can't believe that our child is a few short months from being a teenager...It was so strange for me to watch Jake go to his seminars while I went the other way to mine. When did he get old enough to do that?
I was just going through old photos to find a few to frame. I could wallpaper my house with all the pictures I have taken. I have quite a few of these three before there were three others to follow. When did these guys become "the big kids"?!
In one of the seminars they had us chart out the milestones (becoming an Eagle Scout, getting driver's license, etc) that would be coming up in our children's lives. As I looked at it I realized that Jake would only be a full time resident of our home for 5 more years....That was the point of charting it out-to see how little time we have with our children. It is slightly depressing to me....
Where has this time gone? What do these words have to do with these pictures? Nothing!...But everything really. I am still in a season of my life where my whole world revolves around Jake. The most important part of my identity is described in my favorite title: Jake's Mom. I would wear a badge to declare it if it was socially acceptable. I have other titles: Aaron's wife, Daughter of God, Primary President, Conservative Republican, etc. I will always be Jake's mom. But I am not exactly looking forward to that not being my full time job.
This is Jericho Road by the way...But back to my blubbering. I know I will look forward to seeing him as an adult but I am just not ready for it. Which is okay since he is 12. Basically I have been reminded and learned (again) that I have a lot I want to teach him before he leaves me. :)
But back to the conference...
They gave us a great schedule/program that let us know all
the seminars we could attend and handouts that the speakers had
prepared, and there was room for us to take notes. I old schooled it
(while everyone was using their smart phones) and took pictures of the extra quotes with my camera. I have pages of notes and so much great information that I am ready to get back to reality. All the sudden I can't type the words next to the picture...Why does that happen?...
And now it is back to letting me type beside the picture again...
Jake was excited that he quickly solved this little puzzle that Tina had while we were eating dinner one evening in the hotel. He actually wanted me to take a picture and I never turn down the chance to document a memory!
And while I was at it I took two.
Here is the cool shirt for the youth from the conference. We Are Warriors of Light-I love it! The theme for the youth conference was Come Unto Christ.
This is the conferences 10th year. I wish I knew about it 3 years ago when we started homeschooling! Wow...we have been homeschooling for 3.whole.years. Time flies...
Jake showed Saku some of the mad skills he learned about making your shirt into a flotation device. Jake earned his swimming merit badge last Saturday and thought the hotel's pool was a great place to practice his new found skills.
We actually skipped the Family Dance to get in a little beach and pool time.
There was a storm rolling in and the sky was gorgeous....
The conference keynote speaker was John Bytheway, who is an LDS author/motivational speaker. He was great! We headed out right after it was over-but not before we could get a picture of the the three "big kids" in their conference shirts.
I have to admit, this conference was not as relaxing as the on in Greenville-or at least the circumstances around it were not. I got to drive home and sleep in my own bed each night (a big deal for a germ-a-phob) and I was there by myself and didn't have to coordinate with anyone else...But in some ways it was better. Perspective, great resources, memories, new ideas....all things I am taking with me after the LDSHE conference...It was great.
One more thing...We stopped at Cracker Barrel on the way home and Jake found these awesome glasses. I am so glad he isn't grown up yet. :)
