Blissful BlissDom

Last week, I packed up and drove 7 hours (alone! yay!) to Nashville for my first BlissDom conference. I wasn’t really sure what exactly to expect, but I had heard from other bloggers that it was lots of fun.

I had previously attended BlogHer in NYC in 2010 and enjoyed my time there. But I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that my favorite part was being in NYC with some of my dear friends. And I’d be lying again if I didn’t tell you that we skipped most of the conference in favor of exploring the city.

BlissDom was different. We were secluded in a massive hotel in Nashville without the desire to escape.

I attended with women I knew, women I wanted to know and women whose blogs I hadn’t yet read, but definitely do now. The sessions were exciting and not so specific that people felt alienated. I think everyone in the room could find a way to apply the speaker’s words to his or her blog.

As cheesy as it sounds, I came home feeling inspired. The sessions really inspired me to keep on writing. Keep on telling my story. Because I do this for me and I do it to vent, share, and keep memories.

I was also inspired by how many other gals were feeling the same exact way regardless of her blog’s general niche. The speakers and the side conversations with girls whose blogs I love (and now I completely admire these girls) encouraged me to move forward.

I feel energized and ready to go. I also feel busy and slightly overwhelmed by the notes I took, the things I want to change, and the things I want to try.

The best part about BlissDom? Aside from the amazing girls, the talented speakers, and the yummy food eaten in Nashville? I came home eager to love on my whole family and make the most of every moment spent with Todd, Hudson, and Hayes. I couldn’t wait to get home to them. Almost every single speaker I heard at BlissDom reinforced the importance of marriage and family.

And my favorite speaker reinforced the importance of faith.

This weekend was exactly what I needed and I’m so grateful for the opportunity I had to attend. I’m home and I’m ready to focus on my family and tell our stories.

(And set aside designated times each day to tell the stories without letting it interfere with my time with them.)

So I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing. I’m just telling our story. Because, as someone said at BlissDom, we are story tellers.

A big, huge, thank you to Dr. Smith’s for helping me go on this amazing trip!