What a weekend!

The Husband and I just returned from a weekend in Nashville, attending the Empowered to Connect conference with Dr. Karyn Purvis.

I don't know if you have ever read her book, The Connected Child, or followed any of her Trust Based Parenting Principles...but I can't recommend them enough!! We just think she's amazing.

And we are so grateful that she faithfully followed her calling and has laid a framework for helping us understand how to reach and connect with our children from hard places.

I was also so blessed to meet one of my favorite bloggers One Thankful Mom at this conference. The Husband asked me if I approached her like some groupie and fumbled around with all my words--which may or may not have happened to me when I met a favorite band in college. A situation that-if happened- might have left me walking away disgusted with my vocabulary's disloyalty to me--.

But the answer is, No. Thankfully. I think I played it cool. ;-) 

It isn't that I was star-struck (see above: band encounter), but rather extremely honored. I know people struggle with when and how much to share on this "internet" thing that records everything we put here forever...but for us? In adoption? We need those who have gone before us..The Pioneers..to present to us the real picture.

That, we are part of God's redemption, yes...but we are now also walking our children through their own grief and trauma...and that may not always be pretty. She does a good job of that and I am so grateful to have followed their story as we embark on our own with Cupcake!

I was also blessed to spend time with friends. We met our friends, The Jones Family, for the conference and enjoyed many laughs and great conversations and also got to see an old friend we hadn't seen in over a decade!

It was overall a beautiful weekend and we were so blessed to have had the opportunity to make the trek!

Lastly, I just can't say enough good things about Dr. Purvis and the Empowered to Connect team. If you are considering (or maybe already in) the world of adoption or foster parenting, please read or watch her stuff! She has such a heart for helping our children heal and just hearing her share stories, you begin to partner with her faith that we CAN walk our children through their grief and trauma and into a secure relationship with a family!!

Redemption.