and so it goes....

so, this past week we hosted the annual conference for the regional organization that i am a party of....it was an experience like no other....but for the first time in a while, i felt like our organization found it's groove again....a few years ago we seemed to have lost our "magic"....the feeling i always had was one of being with family, like at a big family reunion....this year, it felt like that again....this was a great experience....

i decided to spend the week living on campus, instead driving to my house each night....i wasn't sure if it would be the right thing to do, but now i am very glad i did....i was at ease with knowing i could go somewhere to get away for a minute if i needed to and i didn't worry about socializing too late in the night....

the big thing is that my official term as president-elect started at the end of the conference....the first time i had to say it out loud, it felt funny....lots of people asked me all week if i was ready....and the honest answer is no....it's so strange to think that this is truly happening...that i am going to be looked to for leadership within the organization....if anyone had said to me 6 years ago when i was first on the executive board that i would be here now, i would have laughed at them....as a matter of fact, i believe i laughed at people who would suggest it, even when i was running....

i had a conversation with a past president one night....she was one of my presidents....and i was saying to her how in my time i have seen each president leave their "thing" behind....something they did to move our organization forward....and i just didn't know if i would have a thing....i could only hope that i have something that i leave behind....i think this next year will be quite an adventure for me....

but the best part of the whole week was catching up with all those people i don't get to see....my neacuho friends....those people who i might not talk to but once a year, but i can't wait to see them each year.....and of course, catching up with those friends who i do see regularly but not for such an extended period of time....i was able to make some new connections this year, a lot of which were with people on my own campus.....i loved every conversation, every tear, every secret shared....

and so, until annuals comes again, i will miss those times....but i appreciate every memory that was made.