Day 3 and I'm a stranger.

Three other ladies, whom I have never met, are allowing me to spend three nights with them in a hotel room, and one of them will share my bed.
It seems only fitting that I share a few things about myself that may ease their minds or at least prepare them for what's to come.

1.  I am not an early riser, but I will set my alarm. It will go off a couple of times at least before I finally get up. But I will get ready super fast, because I will want to hurry and get to the coffee and a quiet spot to read and journal for a few minutes before I start my day.
2.  I do not exercise before 10:00 am (see number 1 above) so I will not be the one of us who heads out for the 6:00 am Advocare exercise class.  If someone wants to go for a mid day walk/run anytime after say 11:00, I'll be happy to join you.
3.  I may seem more healthy than I am when I bring my bag of Gala apples, almonds and "Skinny Cow" chocolate treats. If you sit beside me at dinner, or breakfast or lunch, you will see that I can eat and I am not about to try to impress you by saying "No" if someone offers me their unwanted dessert.
4.  I will have a good supply of chewing gum...and unfortunately I am a bit of an active gum chewer. Popping and smacking and such... I have been known to hear "Are you enjoying that gum?", when they really mean to say... "I am NOT enjoying you, enjoying your gum!" The good news is, if you ever need a piece, I'll have plenty to share.
5.  If I stay up too late at night, I just might be up all night.  I work night shift so that means my body has a funny little internal clock that wakes me up after around 12 am. I will bring Benadryl, which may help or cause me to have bad dreams, but I still may get up at some point, sneak out of the room for an hour or so, then come back to bed. If that happens, I'll probably also sneak back to the room later the next morning for a catch up nap.
6.  I will bring a power strip and a hair dryer, so if you want to, you can leave yours at home. I'll also bring a little mirror, so I can get out of the bathroom quickly in the morning.
7. I am bringing too many clothes, but only my Pajamas are new. I bought them especially for the Girls Night In pajama party. 
8. I have a husband and three kids...if you asking me about them, I may go on and on. Or if you ask me about me....I may say I have a husband and three kids...and then I'll talk about them too.
9. I really want to hear about you and your family too, so if I interrupt you while you are talking to try to talk about myself...just keep talking. I'm trying really hard to work on listening instead of thinking ahead to what I am gonna say next. 
10. On Sunday morning, when we leave to go home, you'll see the real me. Workout pants, a sweat jacket and a pony tail and baseball cap. Until them, I'll be dressing up a bit in jeans, tops and cardigans...mostly in order to fit in and feel more confident. But by Sunday, you'll know me anyway, and it will be alright!

To each of you...
I'm looking forward to a time of great fellowship and inspiration. It's no coincidence that the four of us...all strangers...in different phases of life...have been put together to share this experience together. I'm praying for each one of you, for an easy transition as you leave home, for joy and rest as you get a little time away, for safety and protection for you and your families, for your heart (and mine) to be open and soft to the word of God and what He is trying to teach us, or remind us of as we let him have us... in the quiet and the busy ..and in the conference chair and the seat at the dinner table as we chat with our heads on our pillows.  I'm praying with great expectation. 

Thanks for sharing this weekend with me.



Continuing with my series,  7 Days of Before Allume!
Getting excited over here!