Scrapbook Weekend 1

I'm bacccckkk! Did anyone miss me? I left Friday afternoon to go to a scrapbook retreat that ended on Sunday afternoon and was away from blogging. I had an amazing time scrap booking pictures, bonding with friends, making new friends and enjoying some country nature. The best part was enjoying some ME time away from being some one's mommy or wife for the weekend. All I had to worry about was myself and enjoying one of my favorite hobbies.
I got to the Bible Camp on 2 pm on Friday afternoon to meet up with my friends Toni and Mindy who invited me. I met them while going to a yearly scrapbook crop held at a Creative Memories consultant three years ago. We have frequented some of the same scraps from then on out and only recently became close friends. Mindy's and my kids both attend the same elementary school and found out that we live only one street away from each other.
Mindy and I shared and eight foot table all weekend and Toni sat across from us on another eight foot table. There were about 21 women total at the retreat from all over Florida. Some were from as far as Fort Lauderdale. Friday afternoon I spent about two hours organizing my photos, setting up my area and preparing my work for the weekend. I went to bed about 12:30am on Friday night and woke up Saturday morning about 7 am. The camp kitchen served a continental breakfast at 7 am and I got started after enjoying a hot cup of coffee to wake me up. The sleeping in a bunk bed really killed my neck and back. I really wish I had brought more pillows and a heating pad for my aching muscles.
By 10:30am the kitchen served a hot cooked breakfast of eggs, biscuits, gravy, sausage, bacon and grits. I enjoyed eating some great food with my friends and we got back to cutting photos and working on pages. Mindy and I laughed so much about some new friends we met who sat across from us. Tina and Melissa were a silly pair of ladies who came from Brandon, FL that are best friends. They showed up late on Friday night and shortly after arriving at the camp left again to go to Wal mart. By the time they settled back in at their seats we were heading to bed and they said they were going to be pulling an all-nighter. Saturday morning they joined us at the second breakfast and looked like they didn't sleep too well.
It was joked about my snoring. Yes. I snore. Toni was in the bunk next to mine and she said she pulled on my foot and I actually stopped. She was afraid that she might have woken me up but I reassured her that I sleep "like the dead" and it wouldn't have been possible. Enjoying my friends company all weekend was exactly what I needed.
We spent the day trading stories of our lives and bonding while working on our photos. Both of us being stay at home moms gives us the connection and being able to step out from being the sole care giver for a weekend only brought us closer. I went to bed Saturday night praying to God and thanking him for bringing such people in my life. I believe that he has a purpose for everyone we meet and I find it fascinating the way we come in contact with the people we meet. I made friends with my sister in law who is my husband's stepsister, she introduced me to my circle of friends where I met one of my best friends, through that group I made some more friends and made my other best friend and through my circle who introduced me to scrap booking I met Toni and Mindy. It's fate, I tell you. I truly believe that Mindy will be one of my best friends, if not a friend for life. I feel so comfortable with her and when you spend time in the rough (yes, staying in a kids camp cabin on bunk beds is rough) and wear only your pj's for half the day without a bra, yeah you bond.
It's like an adult sleepover without talking about boys.
I went to bed at 3 am on Saturday night by myself since Toni and Mindy went in before me. Mindy stayed up until 2 am but she was looking pretty exhausted and I had just a few more pages that I HAD to finish while the thoughts of creativity were still in my mind. I was the last to wake up on Sunday morning at 9 am even though I set my alarm for 8 am. My friends had already went into the rec hall to work on their books and some of the other ladies were getting cleaned up and showered while I tried to wake. I felt a bit embarrassed about being the last one and crawled out from my bed. We exchanged idle chit chat and few apologies about hoping they didn't wake me.
I got freshened up and headed to the kitchen for some coffee and made it in time for breakfast that was being served at 9:30 am. I dug right into my scrapping that morning since it was our last day and we had to be ready to leave and cleaned up by 2 pm. I was feeling a bit sad and was going to miss my friends after we left. I really missed my kids and husband but in the scheme of things, life doesn't allow much time for hanging out with friends on a weekly basis. But the one thing I did want to get home was to relax. Staying up WAY late was fun but it takes a toll on you and I'm still exhausted. I took a two hour nap today and I'm still feeling behind. Not to mention my lovely cold is still lingering and my medicine is all tomorrow.
I enjoyed my time with my friends. I can't wait until January, the camp is holding another retreat. Sounds like Mindy and I will be going. Toni will not be since she is going to Hawaii for a vacation. I'm looking forward to it.
I will have to write more later about some of the drama of the weekend, since this was a Bible Camp that is run by a different denomination than I practice or my friends practice. I'll save that for later...