I actually think that this conference seemed like the best one to me for different reasons than it may have been the best for others. I didn’t realize this until right before the conference… but this was really my first real “Speaking” engagement since being a MOMMA!! Michael and I spoke together at the Connect Retreat and I had hosted two workshops but this was a conference where I was speaking solo and it was an hour long talk and it was in front of 130 people. Since I have spoken at the past 6 C@H conferences, this was a familiar feeling to me… but yet so different at the same time because there was a baby girl in the back that belongs to me.

So much of my life has changed over the last 8-10 months. I see life differently… I see my business differently… I see my priorities differently. The changes that I have experienced in my life are GOOD ones… but they are still changes. I think getting up in front of other peers in our industry and teaching was a reminder that “I’ve still got it!”. haha I still love speaking… I still love educating… I still love being a creative… I may have changed in a lot of ways… but I still love this part of my life and our business. I think I just needed to be reminded of that.

At the end of my talk, I asked if there were any questions… and only ONE girl raised her hand. She asked if we could bring Evy up to the front so that they could all see her!!! I laughed and obliged. She got in front of everyone and smiled and I melted. The fear of not being relevant because I have entered a new stage of life slowly faded away that day. In fact… the exact opposite seemed to be true.

I’m thankful for this conference. The venue, the attendees, the food, the location, the speakers, the content, the details… it was all top notch. Kat, you and your team did it again girlfriend!!! Congrats on your best conference YET!!!!!

Sooo… I didn’t take my camera. Yep. I don’t take my big camera to a lot of conferences these days and it’s because it stresses me out. I don’t need it. I know that I can recap this experience with my iPhone and be satisfied with that! However, I DID have a few moments of regret when I saw how adorable the details were! So, that’s when the iPhone 7 Portrait Mode comes into play! I took several “detail” shots with my iPhone and ya know… even though they aren’t the highest quality images in the world, they sure do a good job of reminding me of how much fun we had down south and that’s all that matters! Right?! Right!

So, enjoy some of my “wanna-be professional” images from my iPhone and a visual recap of my time in NC!!! Thanks again to everyone who worked long, hard hours to make this conference a reality!!!

Loved seeing this sweet friend! Lara surprised the entire conference with a guest appearance and it was so exciting for all of the attendees!!!!!! We snuck away to go meet Lyndon!! The precious 10 day old addition to the Ray family! Will and Nancy… you are the most amazing parents to your sweet girls!!!  Also, thank you Holly Felts for the amazing professional shots of the week! These were a few favorites!  I mean…. the “reach”?? It just made my day!  Between Kat, her momma and Abby Grace… Evy was never not loved on! :)