Family Reunion

Traveling again with work, ugh! I spent four days in New Orleans for a meeting with our Agency Leadership partners. Now many would say, "yeah, New Orleans - that would be so much fun!" Umm...obviously you do not know about my job and the BS that goes with it. From the time your butt gets out of bed to the time the meeting is over, you barely have time to think. Then the fun part of the day starts when after the meeting you have to do everything else that came in on your email. Remember "out of office" just means you will get to it at night, NOT when you get back to work!

Highlights from the meeting: lights kept mysteriously dimming while the speakers were talking, our Agency Vice President's microphone would not work, the sound guy is DEAF (I am not f'ing kidding), I have blisters on my feet from running back and forth trying to get things to work. THE END!

On Friday I hopped on a plane and headed to Des Moines, Iowa for a family reunion. We are going to try and do this every two years because it seemed like the only reason we would see each other is when someone passed away. Not the best time to have a beer with the family - well, not at least until day 2 of the mourning process. You gotta love my family.

I love my family! They are hilarious. My uncle is a retired minister and is the nicest, funniest guy you will ever meet. Case in point - he always asks me when my husband "Spike" is going to get out of jail and that he prays from his safe return once he is released. What? Who thinks of that stuff? We had a auction while we were there. Everybody brought their old stuff, some new and we bought it from each other. We raised $1800! It goes to the fund for the next reunion.

Piper was a rock star at this reunion. Since July 4 at my Mom's house, she has really come out of her shell. It is SO fun to see! She was talking to people, playing with the kids - just being a normal three-year-old for once. Yeah Piper!!! When we were getting ready to leave, I was holding her and giving people hugs. I would say "It was so nice to see you!" and she would say the same thing and give just as big of hugs. She makes my heart melt on a daily basis.

Highlights from the Reunion: 18 people asking me if I ate because I was too thin, my cousin announcing to everyone that I have more tattoos then my brother (which I guess makes me the most white trash), my aunt freaking out because we took the wrong turn to go to Dairy Queen, getting 3 hours sleep the first night because my Dad snores like a FREIGHT TRAIN, getting into a bikini in front of people you have not seen in two years! That about covers it!

And Mark did not go on this trip either. He "did not want to take another day of vacation". He is the best! Really, he is trying. BUT I did tell him I was done trying because marriage should not be THIS hard. I am ok with the ups and downs - but not everyday.

Does anyone want to buy a freaking house? I mean seriously, someone out there needs a house, right? We have had 4 contracts on it, 3 have fallen through and 1 we could not reach an agreement on. Throw me a FREAKING bone people!!