Back In The Saddle Again

I think I'm ready to start writing again. Last week was a whirlwind. I don't suggest getting sick before two of your busiest days of the year. It just doesn't do a body good.

I woke up last Wednesday feeling great and ready to take on the world. At some point in the morning that feeling went away, far, far away. The rest of the day was spent wrapped in a blanket while willing myself not to throw up. Thursday was the same, except I stayed in bed quite a bit of it.

By Friday I was better and in downtown Dallas by noon to help prepare for the nation's largest Christmas party for the homeless. I didn't make it home until around 11 p.m. and needed to be up by 2:30 a.m. My alarm didn't go off. Phil woke me up at 4:45 a.m. and I scrambled out the door and drove back downtown. The amazing band, Planning Yesterday, donated their sound equipment for the outside stage and they had everything under control when I got there. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Then the constant moving began. I had four areas I was watching over. The doors of the convention center didn't open until 10 a.m., but the outside entertainment started up at 7:30 and that was one of my areas. The donut crew was in place long before that handing out donuts, coffee, and hot chocolate to the early birds wanting to be first in line. They are a great group of people who donate their very early hours each year to ministering outside in the cold. Hospitality to a "T".

I didn't know time could move so slow. Or at least, that is what it felt like. I was sure more than once that the schedule was off on the stages, but it was that it just seemed to be later because my day had started so early. Liz and Phil ran the main inside stage like pros. I'm very grateful. The hallway entertainment went off without a hitch as did the outside stage.

James and his photography team had everything covered. Chris and I tag teamed the media as they came in. I think I did three on air interviews. Here is one of them. http://www.dallasnews.com/video/?z=y&nvid=313097

At one point my mom brought me a bottle of water and I made the mistake of sitting down to drink it. It was all I could do to make myself get back up. My legs and feet were really ticked off at me.

I don't have any exact numbers from the day. There were more people than last year and that number was 8,000. I do know that I hobbled out of there and was very thankful my husband was there to drive me home.