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I'm home. I got home Monday afternoon and was immediately plunged back into "real life." No rest for the weary, as they say! But it was so good to get home to my family.

I really had a great time with M. I needed the break and it was fun. Even though we didn't get much sleep (LOL) and I came home more exhausted than when I left, it was a good exhausted.

I wanted to share some of the highlights (for me) from Time Out For Women. It is an amazing experience -- I've been twice now -- and I strongly encourage everyone to go!!

Jane Clayson Johnson talked about my favorite subject -- shoes! LOL Actually, she compared shoes to the times and seasons of our lives...we wear different shoes for different activities, different phases in life, and different seasons...and we need to come to terms with the shoes we are wearing at each point in life...not let the world decide which shoes we will wear...learn to appreciate and enjoy the season of life we are in. One thing she said that really stuck with me is that the choices we make now affect the choices we *can* make in the future. Also that we will not always understand what the Lord is doing with us or why, but that we need to allow Him to guide and direct us and have faith. I needed to hear that.

Camille Fronk Olson talked about women in scripture...it was really interesting to hear about some of the lesser-known women in scripture and the impact that they had not just on those around them, but for our lives, and the lessons we can learn from them. It was really interesting and I loved it. She is a professor of ancient scripture at BYU and it would be neat to take a class from her! She is working on a book abuot women in scripture and a BYU art student has done the paintings for the book...some incredible art!

Virginia Hinckley Pearce talked about the need for us to be kind to everyone, as everyone is fighting their own hard battles and we don't always (or even usually) know what those are. She said that women have a great ability to be kind, but also a great ability to be unkind. I know what she means! We tend to withhold acceptance and approval, judge each other, and generally be catty. She said to be patient...the Lord keeps his promises but it might be later rather than sooner. NOT something I wanted to hear!

Kathryn Turley talked about recent studies that have found that women who have close groups of women friends are better able to deal with stress than men. Women need other women -- we need deep, healthy friendships with other women and it's important to nurture those friendships. My dear Diva friends, are you reading? We need to get together more than we do! It's good for our mental health!!! She referenced a talk given recently by Elder Wirthlin that talked about how the Savior was crucified on a Friday and resurrected on a Sunday...and that each of us will have our own personal Fridays in our lives when things are so very difficult...it is at those times that we must remember that Sunday will come and lean on the Lord and our friends for help and support. She talked about a group of her close friends and how they have nurtured and continued their relationship altough they have moved away from each other. She has written a book (she is a photographer) with the story of her and her friends, and how they helped each other through some very severe trials and tragedies. I would love to get a copy of it.

Carolyn Rasmus talked about the need to simplify our lives so we can more fully partake of spiritual things, and the need to take care of our spirits. She used "simplify" as an acronym for Stillness, Integrity, Mercy, Pruning (setting priorities), Letting go, it is Impossible without the Lord, Fortifying our spirits, and You (meaning we have to make the decision to do this). She also talked about the importance of scripture study and stillness. One thing she said that stuck with me is "Sometimes when we try to do the right thing, it doesn't seem like the right things happen." Oh, how true that is! Her comment to those who say they are too busy to study the scriptures is that we need to not look at it like "I just can't add one more thing to my already busy schedule," but instead we need to look at it as, "What can I LET GO OF to spend time each day with my scriptures." Not adding to our already busy day, but letting go of something else and replacing it with something better. I liked that.

Finally, Virginia Hinckley Pearce wrapped up the day by talking about Monday mornings...she loves Monday mornings because it's the start of a fresh new week and the opportunity to start over. Interesting way to view Mondays! So her comment to us was, "What about Monday morning?" Spiritual learning is about becoming, not stacking up a bunch of points like on a school test; it's what we've become...so what are we going to do on Monday morning to become the person we want to be? I'm still working on answering that one!

It was wonderful and I heard some things I really needed to hear. I'm still digesting them and trying to figure out "What about Monday morning?" and what it is I'm going to change in my life.

If you ever have the opportunity to go to TOFW, do it!!!