I'm in the AIrport and You're Still Asleep

Had to get up at 4:15 this morning. Even earlier than on Y days. I'm feeling it too. And while the small size of the Abilene airport made check in and security very easy, the fact that there is no food to buy this side of security is fairly annoying. I really should eat something. But I suppose if I have to wait until 7:15 when I arrive in Dallas to eat, I probably won't die. I just always feel nauseous when I get up really early.

So nobody cared to guess why I had beer things on my blog? The building I spoke in on Tuesday was actually the Budweiser distribution center.... and all day long I stood behind a beer podium and didn't realize it. Apparently the beer people are very generous in letting non-profits use their hospitality room... as in they let them use it for free... and so that is where the training was.

The training went very well. I presented all four sessions and mentally and emotionally I stayed charged all day long. Physically, however, my body gets a little crabby with me when I push myself that hard -- standing for 8 hours when I usually don't stand for more than an hour a day. But I survived and so did everyone else.

I had a couple dinners out with some really fun people who work for CPS in adoptions. T, S, and K are a lot of fun and we had lots of interesting conversations. T and S made me stop by the chicken place to take their picture, which explains that one, and then T ordered food for dinner that weighed more than she did.....

Yesterday after what I hope will be a very productive matching meeting, I had lunch for the first time ever with a Regional Director! Also in attendance were a Program Administrator and three Program Directors and an Intensive Adoption Coordinator. Now tell me I wasn't feeling a little impressed with my company.

However, it's a little hard to take anybody seriously when you're sitting underneath a huge taxidermied cow. I mean in MN we put hunting trophies on the wall, but not big huge cows with realistic looking eyes and eye lashes. There's something just a little wrong about sitting underneath the shadow of the animal you're eating, if you know what I'm saying.

However, the food at Joe Allen's was seriously some of the best BBQ I've ever had and let me just say this -- I've NEVER had a better glass of Iced Tea in my life. I had to order it unsweetened, but it was SO good. In fact, all of the tea I have had here has been awesome.

Very few people in MN know how to brew tea and serve it at the right time. Either they make instant, squirt some Brisk LIpton crap out of a fountain machine, or serve it when it's a day old and tastes awful. But the tea I had down here was really good, and Joe Allen's was the best.

Last night I had wonderful Mexican food with a blog reader who has a great story of how their daughter is healing as she grows up in their home. I was pretty out of it and tired, but it was great to meet her. Thanks, J!

And now I head home for the weekend and then Monday take off for Seattle again. I don't like back to back trips, but i have tried to clear October so that I'm home when Isaac comes. I know you can't schedule a baby but I figured a month long opportunity would be a good one.

I'm leaving feeling like I have done good work. I got excellent feedback, developed good relationships, and had a really good time. But now, back to reality.....