Going on a trip!

I leave tomorrow a.m. for the Inspired Artist workshop with Donna Downey. I'm pretty excited, although preparing has made me exhausted. I've never been to the East Coast before, and this event is in North Carolina, so it is a fun travel adventure as well as an artistic endeavor. Some things to note about this trip - maybe interesting, maybe not: 1. I'm not used to being away from Andy and Jansse, so that will be hard; 2. The weather in North Carolina is going to be very different - I even packed crop pants and sandals, which is amazing considering the 8 inches of new snow we woke up to this morning! 3. I will be missing the Public Radio fundraising drive, which is a relief, as I get so aggravated when my favorite news shows are cut short for the droning on of the local announcers; 4. My friend Tamara loaned me a big scrapping bag to pack my supplies in, and I managed to get it under the 50 pound weight limit, but now I'm afraid it will be lost or damaged and that would be a real bummer! 5. I've got a couple people praying that I will stick to my diet and exercise routines as I am gone, and that is a big encouragement. Last year when I went to CHA in Anaheim I lost 4 pounds in 5 days because I was so distracted by the art supplies that I didn't think of eating! Praying for a similar experience this time! 6. I'm so tired from the preparation for this trip that I'll probably sleep through both flights tomorrow. 7. I'm going with my friend from scrapbook book club, Barb, and this will be a really neat opportunity for the two of us to get to know each other better! Of course she may be bored by my sleeping through the flights! 8. Oh! I just realized I almost forgot to pack my camera, which would be horrible!!!!! I need that! 9. I'm a little afraid I'm too quirky for this kind of travel and for meeting all these new people, but oh well, too late to let that get in the way! 10. Did I mention that I am really going to miss Andy and Jansse? That will be hard! So, no posts until Sunday or Monday. Then, I hope to have some projects to show off, and maybe some joyful stories to tell. By the way, the news on Jennifer was good again today. More eating on her part, still able to put off the spinal tap, and some measurement of her body chemistry is getting close to the goal number the doctor had for it so they could begin additional treatments. All sounds wonderful, and we know it is the work of God! I'll be praying for continue improvement. I sent a care package to her today - well, more to her husband as she's limited on what she can do - and I heard that arrangements have been made to get her daughters to Seattle for a visit early next week! Amazing! I know the family reunion they will have is going to be fantastic! She still needs specific prayers for her blood to clot better, and for her liver functioning to improve. And I'm sure Bruce could use some prayers for strength as he offers her support and comfort through this challenging time. And of course, we need to throw in some prayers of thanks for what God has already done! Back in five or six days!