I'm Baaaaaccccckkkkk!!!

Well, after a very LONG (but FUN) weekend, I'm finally back into the cyberworld. We had A LOT going on this past weekend, with many different, varied activities. The main one was our annual Southern Christian Writers Conference, which is one of the largest writing conferences in the country AND one that my parents founded about 14 years ago. The entire family is really involved (I always speak and help out in any way I can, and my brother--who is an awesome writer-spoke this year too). The grandkids all come and love it (McKenna goes to every session, takes notes, and is ON FIRE about writing when it's over; my 7-y-o nephew Matthew said he likes it better than his birthday!! LOL!)

I love the photo up above here--it shows Mom and I right after the conference ended. I had already decided to go barefoot a few hours before (I go barefoot as much as possible!!), but Mom kicked her shoes off immediately as well! We were pooped, can't you tell???!!!

We had some GREAT speakers this year, and everyone seemed to really have an inspired time. Mom and Dad were really sick this past week, so we just feel blessed that they made it through the conference!

Of course, I took lots of pictures . . . Here are Sammie (our registrar) and Carolyn--writing friends for a long time. We enjoyed going out to eat with them afterwards.

Here are Mom and Vanessa Davis Griggs--everyone just LOVED her sessions! She has written several popular Christian romances and she was very cool! After that is Deborah Brunt, one of our keynote speakers with her books for sale in the book room. She is a really SWEET, spiritual lady.

Our other keynote speaker was Terri Blackstock--but I didn't get a picture of her. Sigh . . . She is such a GOOD, GOOD writer and everyone just loved her. Go to any Christian bookstore and she probably has two or three shelves dedicated just to her!! I'd never read any of her books, but since I'm a HUGE mystery fan and she writes mystery/suspense stuff, I decided to give her books a try. I got a copy of Cape Refuge at the conference and I was up until midnight reading it last night. It's really good! Go to www.terriblackstock.com to read about her and her books.

The kids had a great time too! Here is Delaney working the book table for me (she was my little salesperson), along with a pic of one of my altered writing frames I made to sell (I also sold books, booklets, and altered writing journals). Then a picture of Sydney and Matthew hiding

during a game of hide-and-seek with Garrett.

You probably noticed that Delaney's wearing her softball jersey in the picture above. This weekend, she also had a softball tournament down in Tuscaloosa. It was a 3-day tournament, but was at least convenient for me since we were already in T-town. Gary, though, had to keep coming back and forth to Hueytown because his photo company was also covering a softball tournament in Birmingham.

Delaney's team did really well. They won 2 out of their 4 games, and really should have won the last one (some really BAD umpire calls, and I'm not just saying that because it was our team. They really did stink!! LOL!!).

Here are three really great pics of Delaney playing. I LOVE these because they show her intensity (LOOK at that face!!!!). She loves to play softball and, even though she's so much smaller than other players, she's SO GOOD! It's so much fun to watch her play.

On Sunday morning, we took Delaney to the softball park then McKenna, Sydney, and I headed back home so we could be at church for our morning service. We were having our Confirmation Service, and we wanted to be there for Lori. She had already been baptized several years before, but was being confirmed and joining our church. Plus, there were other friends who were doing it too. I'm SO glad we made it back home for the service. It was AWESOME!!! There were about ten kids who were confirmed, two who were baptized, and then we also had five adults join the church. I felt very emotional as I was down there with my hands on Lori's shoulder. Making any decision for Christ is the best thing you can do in your lifetime!! And just such a very cool feeling to be surrounded by so many brothers and sisters who were feeling similar things!

Here's a picture after the service. This was our high schoolers with Brother David. (Lori's there in the middle.)

That night, once the whole family was back together (Gary and Delaney returned after finishing their last softball game in Tuscaloosa) and back home, I had to capture this picture of Gary mowing the lawn. Let's just say that we think we heard the whole entire neighborhood erupt into applause!!! Our yard had turned into a jungle and Gary just never has time to tend to it--just too much other, more important things to do! But here he is . . . it's almost dark and he's truding up the hill that's our yard (not an easy yard to mow!!). And it looks so nice today! LOL

So . . . it was a busy weekend here in the Wray household! And life continues on at a breakneck pace--McKenna went to Six Flags today with the youth group, and I'm off for a lingerie shower for my friend Chris (we're gonna try chocolate martinis. Yum!).

Plans for the rest of the weekend include . . . paying for our pool membership and going swimming, working with Sydney on potty training (she bought Dora panties today and LOVES them!!), finding out who's been picked for All Stars (CAN'T wait!!!), and getting ready for Delaney's birthday party.

Thanks for indulging me on this Mini Novella about this weekend!!

(And oh, did you notice--this post has photos throughout the entry, not just at the beginning? I'd been wondering FOREVER how to do it and Gary showed me in like 5 seconds!!! How come I hadn't asked him before? He is the Computer Guru!! Thanks sweetie!)