Long status alert. But I promise itll be worth it. :) So, today I was minding my own business at the National Healthy Start conference here in DC. Following lunch and before the guest speakers address, the CEO of HS made a few announcements. She recognized several people who had helped with the conference. Then she began to talk about the HS members who had traveled the greatest distance and had missed planes because of bad weather. She asked Aubrey and me to stand. Everyone cheered. Somehow people think Alaskans are some sort of strange celebrities. We sat down. Then she asked me to stand again and said shed received an email from my family, noting that we call ourselves the Hobbits. Everyone chuckled. She went on to read portions of an email from my husband who told of our work with women in remote western Alaska and how I was far away from my husband and five children ages 15 to 8 on my birthday. (Daniel had told her it was my 40th birthday, but she said shed never tell my age!) By this time I was in tears, as were quite a few other people in the audience. The whole group of several hundred Healthy Start staff from all across the country sang happy birthday and the caterers brought out cupcakes with a candle. It was an overwhelming moment. Daniel texted me an I love you shortly thereafter, to which I replied, I know!! And so does every single person at this conference! So many times in my life Ive felt invisible. Today I was not invisible. :o) My husband and children were many, many miles away and were rising up to call me blessed. I could feel them standing. It was nearly tangible. Babe, and kids too, Im sorry I couldnt be with you on this momentous birthday. Thanks for loving me so well. I love you!!
Posted on: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 02:37:08 +0000