Au revoir et à bientôt, ma famille

What a day! I started in rural Indiana and ended in Galveston, Texas. Highlights included long hugs to all of my kids and Eric (repeated multiple times), getting pulled over by a Texas state trooper for speeding 88 mph in a 55 mph contruction zone (our driver--not me!), and meeting my midwife friend and co-teacher Kristine for the first time in person.

Kristine brought 170 lbs of luggage--mostly books--and I contributed another 100+ lbs between my checked bag, carry-on, and backpack. We are determined to lose most of the weight here in Galveston by selling our books and other merchandise during the midwifery conference.

Before my departure in the afternoon, I had a busy day doing all of the little last things. I won't be back until the night before we leave for France. My dad gave me an early Christmas present--a cordless drill and cordless impact driver. BEST PRESENT EVER! He knows me too well...

Kristine and I are rooming together and we are exhausted. Time for bed and then several busy conference days. Thursday and Friday will be Skills and Drills all day long, then we give our presentations on Saturday...and then we fly to Auckland!

This is my carry-on suitcase with a month worth of clothes, lots of birth supplies, a very squished baby, and my emergency dark chocolate stash. Priorities.