My Week 16

Oh no! I just realized that when I made this collage last night.....I mixed up a few of the pictures, so they are not in order. :( BUMMER, but I'm too tired to go fix it right now. So...the first shot is supposed to be the third shot.

I left you a bit hanging out there in the breeze with my last "my week" post. The 15th I was in an airplane heading to...........Georgia. Back in December, a training opportunity flyer made it's way across my desk, and I snapped it right up when I saw where is was. I was dying to go there. You see....I have had an Internet friendship with....oh....about 80 some ladies for almost seven years now. We all met on a "due date baby board" thing when we were all pregnant with babies to be born in January of 2005. We become very close, and moved to a more private board. We have been conversing on there ever since. The are not just "Internet friends"...they are real and true friends, and this trip proved that to me more than anything ever could. As I stepped off that airplane and into a warm, embracing hug of a friend whom I had never seen in person....I felt like I was home. She invited me to come for 3 extra days before my conference and stay in her home. It was amazing. It never once felt like we were strangers. I just jumped right in step with her, and arm in arm we went about our days. I had a wonderful time. The entire family were so wonderful, and hospitable. If Sugar Bear had been with me, I might never have wanted to leave. ♥ Oh and believe me.....I'm already planning a trip back. This time....Sugar is coming with me. It was a L O N G seven nights apart.

The night that I landed in Georgia we rushed off to meet 3 of the other "baby board" ladies from our group for dinner. It was fabulous. We had so many laughs....giggles....snorts. I didn't want it to end, but my friend and I had tickets to an incredibly AWESOME improve comedy show. I laughed so hard, I almost peed my pants. GOOD TIMES!

Here is the rest of my week.....alittle out of order. oops!



The first shot was taken on January 18th. This was my third full day in Georgia, and I had the opportunity to get some reading done in the morning, while my wonderful host took care of some business. You know I dig me some "reading time", so I was quite happy. Then we jetted on over to meet one of our friends for lunch. There was supposed to be 4 of us, but one of the ladies had a sick kiddo so she didn't get to come. Sad I didn't get the opportunity to get a hug in on her. BUT.......the one friend that was able to make it.....oh we had a bawl, and she brought her darling little baby boy with her, and he is a hoot. It was a fabulous lunch. I had pulled pork sliders (yum) and Brunswick stew. Good times.

The second shot was taken on January 16th. This was my first official day in Atlanta. We were supposed to go for a long drive to see an amazing gorge, but as you might know....there had been a big snow/ice storm the entire week before I arrived, and the road were still not all that clear. So we stayed home, and had a relaxing day. This photo was taken in the early evening, as my friend and I drove into the downtown area to attend a Shakespeare Dinner Theatre show. Oh my heavens.....it was perfect. We saw an amazing performance of Twelfth Night, and I had a scrumptious dinner of Portabella Mushroom Stroganoff. YUMMO!

The third shot was taken on January 17th during brunch. My friend took me, and her daughter who is only 9 days younger than Sugar Bear to a wonderful bakery. It was so hard to decide what to get, but we finally arrived at the fabulous idea of splitting two things. I ordered the Sweet Potato Pancakes, with pecan syrup (HELLO!), and she ordered this amazing concoction you see here. Peanut butter stuffed French Toast with caramelized Bananas (BANG!). Seriously, Y'all (tee hee.....) it was the bomb diggity!

The fourth shot was taken on January 19th. I felt completely and utterly welcome the entire time I was there. It helped a lot that everywhere we needed to go, we seemed to cross paths with this beautiful tower that just yelled, "Hey Corey! Welcome to Georgia!" :) I'll tell ya, I rarely.....and I do mean RARELY run across other "Coreys" out and about. Especially girl "Coreys". So imagine my surprise when I used my name to reserve a spot at the previously mentioned yummo bakery, and the guy right behind me was named Corey, and 5 minutes later another girl walks up and reserves a table under her name.....Corey. Seriously.....my jaw dropped. Anyhow....I took this shot after a long day in training, and an awesome birthday dinner with my friend, her husband, and her birthday girl....and a performance of the "Blue Man Group!" woo hoo...what a long day...but super fun, and amazing. My friend took me back to my hotel......and we bid each other a very sad farewell.

The fifth shot was taken on January 20th. I had conference all day again, then boarded a plane heading WEST! I thought that the day before had been long....this was the longest day known to man, but I made it back to my home state.....and slept my little heart out at my Aunt's house again.

The sixth shot was taken on January 21st. I got up a little late.....and visited with my Aunt a bit, then hit the road for a 4.5 hour drive back to my little girl, who was waiting with very open, and eager arms. I took this shot as I drove along the freeway. This sort of scenery lets me know that I'm almost home.

The seventh shot was taken on January 22nd, and for obvious reasons, it was the best day of the week. ♥ Sugar Bear did such a wonderful job while I was away. She spent 4 nights at my parent's house, then Grandma brought her to our house so that she could attend school, and dance classes. I talked with her on the phone at least once a day, but usually twice. It was really quite lovely to be back together, though. She insisted on a whole lot more snuggles that day....and every day since. ♥ Life is GOOD!