My Own Adventure

I can't remember the last time I set off on an adventure completely on my own. I got to visit some friends and get paid by the hour for talking about something I use every day and love! Before I left town, I spent an hour in one of my friend's offices talking. Then, an hour or so later, I stopped and ate at Panera.

I forgot how long 3+ hours in the car all by myself is! It was made even longer by traffic at the bridge and a huge downpour thunderstorm. In the dark and rain I was completely disoriented and couldn't find the apartment complex I was spending the night at. Chrissy walked down and around the block until she found me and hopped in the front seat. In the day, I realized that had I kept driving straight I would have ended up in her parking lot! Oh well. It was so fun to spend an evening with Chrissy (and Matt). She introduced me to Wegman's grocery story. (Amazing!!) We ate ice cream and talked...until I decided that I HAD to get some sleep.

Friday morning I woke up and headed over to the Frederick Fairgrounds to set up for the MACHE convention. (Maryland Association of Christian Home Educators). I was one of five consultants working at the Bob Jones University Press (BJU) display. I was the newbie consultant so I was learning as much as helping. The first order of business was setting up tables, putting on table clothes, assembling book displays and finally putting out all of the books. Here are all the supplies in tubs...as far as you can see...

Once we figured out how to assemble the book displays they weren't hard to put together.

Three hours after starting we put the finishing touches on the tables.

The convention was Friday from 4-9 and Saturday 8:30-4. Friday evening we were busy--almost constantly placing orders. We had four laptops set up to place orders and there was hardly any time when none of them were being used. On Friday night they were often all being used. There was a 25% discount on all books at the convention so customers were coming in with their lists ready to place orders.

After stopping for frozen yogurt, I almost fell into bed. And before I knew it, it was time to do it all over again. Saturday was slower, but the time still passed more quickly than I thought it would. I talked to a lot of people and placed more orders than I could keep track of. We were each given the freedom to take a break, but mine didn't come around until right about 3:00 when Chrissy brought me food. I was starving! It was a pouring rain kind of day so we sat in the car while I practically inhaled the food. Chrissy hung out with us for the last hour and then stayed to help clean up. She ended up taking apart every one of the book displays. She's just awesome like that! Cleanup went so much faster than setup.

The consultant who organized this convention sent us this picture as a thank you. I enjoyed getting to know each of these ladies! I learned so much and have a lot more confidence in answering questions and placing orders.

I declined staying for supper and started for home. The drive home was much smoother. I got home in time for the bedtime circus which made all the children very happy. I was ready to hug them all, of course. The girls had lots and lots to tell me. I then crawled in to my own bed and fell asleep before my head hit the pillow, I'm pretty sure!