This last Sunday, Blog Sugar took place. It was AWESOME. It was INSPIRING. It was the COMPLETION of many months of planning.
When Rachel, Andrea, and I started meeting, we would have great dinners and yummy wine; the event seemed AGES away. Then crap, it was here immediately. However, through the whole planning process, we had fun and knew Blog Sugar would bring special women together who all loved blogging, meeting new people and sharing new experiences, but most importantly, loved the Lord.
I was honored to participate in the process by coordinating our sponsorships and also by speaking about making better first impressions through improving blog photography. I also was able to play host to my buddy Ruthanne, who came all the way from Arkansas to be our official photographer. The speakers had a dinner the night before the event at Andrea’s and I got to meet some really incredible women!
I’ve been to a blog conference in the past and this one just felt different; partially because we were like-minded (for the most part), partially because I was involved in the planning, and partially because I knew VERY few women there.
Wait, what was that?! Ya, this outgoing, blogstalking, twitteraholic felt somewhat lonely at the conference…and I think it was good for me. It was humbling and allowed me to feel what a lot of other people may have been feeling. And I now know how to better care for those people next year. It also reminded me that this conference and my involvement wasn’t about me. And as our keynote speaker reminded me, my blog is not about me, either.
SOOOOOOO many thoughts and feelings and experiences are rolling around in my mind, and frankly, I’m in a bit of a sugar coma. It’s good and I’m feeling stretched…it’s growth people, and it was brought to me through a blog conference and I’m so thankful. : )
image courtesy of Ruthanne Photo
So, how about you? Did you have a big stretching moment on Sunday? Did Blog Sugar move you, too???
PS – I wish I had died my hair last week (the greys are back in a MAJAH way), I had a giant zit on my face (thanks for photoshopping me, Ruthanne!), and the cute blingy tunic I wore kept falling apart and snagging on everything…it’s currently sitting in the trash…thanks Loehmann’s!
PPS – Just a reminder to look for the horse ding-a-ling. ; )
PPSS – We are DORKS.
SO nice meeting you at Blog Sugar and eating dinner with you. You are so sweet!
Thanks for all the hard work you did to make Blog Sugar happen!!!
Meeting and working with you was a joy.
God has big plans for you JJ and I was so happy you were a part of this Blog Sugar machine.
Love you.
Hi JJ,
I met you at the conference but I didn’t really have time (or I’m just too socially awkward) to tell you how we are connected. My husband and I, Tim Keller, launched the Mariners Mission Viejo campus about two years ago. I heard you mention you were involved at the main campus, which I pretty much grew up at-for the last seventeen years. I imagine we know so many of the same people.
I want to thank you for all your time and effort putting on the conference. I’ve been blogging for about a year and it’s still new and fresh and thrilling to me. There is so much to learn and I love new opportunities to see what other women are cooking up.
Also, I love your sense of humor. I too, am a serious smart-ass and I push the envelope with my darling pastor hubby, but if we’re honest, it’s what he loves about me.
Thanks for keeping it real and I hope we bump into each other soon. And I never noticed the gray-you looked fabulous!
Many blessings,
Sam Keller
I’m glad to hear it went well! When I saw all the Tweets and pictures floating around, I was a bit jealous that I wasn’t there. It sounded like a better experience than the conference I attended previously. Maybe some year I’ll make it out there.
I loved the reminder that God gave me a story and it’s my job to share it. I loved meeting you on Sunday and I’m already practicing all the tips I learned from your session. See you next year!
Hmm…my big stretching moment was probably not walking out the door or hyperventilating in the bathroom as I started to feel “out of my league.” I’m glad I calmed down and attended that first session (Sarah Markley) which validated and encourage me so much about my unique voice and focusing on that instead of what I felt I didn’t have.
Btw, your top was cute! Didn’t notice the “malfunctions” or the greys! You looked great! Thanks for being so friendly.
I am so sorry I didn’t connect with you at Blog Sugar. The whole thing flew by so fast! I was truly stretched – in a very good way. Thanks so much for all of your hard work! Loved it!
blog sugar was incredible! thanks so much for working so hard on it! you are amazing! xo
Hi there!
Just wanted to say that I loved your session at Blog Sugar, it was by far the most fun and entertaining and you had some GREAT advice! You guys did a great job at planning Blog Sugar and I do hope there will be another one next year!!
I’m so sorry I didn’t meet you at Blog Sugar. I went all by myself and that was totally scary. I did learn that the night wasn’t about me and me being insecure but about my blog and the good I can do with it. Thanks for all you did to help make the night a gigantic success. I was so inspired to be the best blogger I can be. I can’t wait until next year.