ok. Don’t worry. My title is not referencing a piece of wood.

The 4×4 I am bringing your way is 4 lists of 4 things helping the Declare Conference attendees get to know me better (we are all doing this and then reading each others. . .).

For those of you who already know me but don’t what the Declare Conference is, let me explain. . .

Four summers ago I attended a local one-day conference for bloggers called “Mamas Write”. (Well, I didn’t attend the whole day, just the first half, because, in classic Heather-style, I double-booked. A group of friends were waiting at spa for our girls’ weekend).

But even only spending half the day with those gals, we bonded. And the next year I ended up on the planning team (what?). We hosted the conference at the same church, for one day, but boy-oh-boy had we outgrown our space (doubling attendance).

Last year, we went gang-busters and moved from a one-day conference at a church to a weekend conference at a hotel. We also decided to change the name to “Declare” (inspired by several Scriptures & the 4 gospels–one message, many voices).

I “thought” 2013-2014 I would step off the planning team to write a book. But after discussions with my agent, we hit the pause button on the book writing until my baby is a wee bit older (thankfully, because I’m in nooooo rush).

qandknoxbed

The Declare gals were gracious enough to keep me in the loop and never even bat an eye at my momentary lapse in judgment.

So next week we will gather back in Dallas at the Los Colinas Marriott with over 200 women (and a couple men) to worship God, seek His voice and follow Him with wild obedience.

Before we meet face-to-face here are 16 things which make me, me. . .

4 THINGS ABOUT ME:

  1. I struggle to know what parts about me would be interesting to you (I keep thinking you could just go to the about me page).
  2. I am most definitely an extrovert (recently my 3rd son helped me see that introverts are real).
  3. My parents (and older siblings) report that as a child I cried for an entire year (don’t be surprised if you see me crying at Declare. . .I’m a big fan of letting the tears go. The sensitive type.).
  4. I am a verbal processor. I could go on and on chatting about theories and what God’s teaching me and all. the. things. Talking is my favorite. (that plus handmade popsicles).

quademepopsicles

4 OF MY ENDEARING QUIRKS: 

  1. I sleep with a blankie (crocheted by my mom’s hairdresser in 1970s avocado green yarn). It’s so soft and cool and no you can’t borrow it.
  2. I get stuck saying little phrases and I just. can’t. stop. saying them. (moved from “Oh my lanta” to “Oh my stars” to “Oh my heavens”). I apologize in advance.
  3. If the house is a rocking, I’m dancing. Music makes me happy and I’ve got to get my groove on, when music is on.
  4. To go along with that, I am completely fine making a fool out of myself in front of others (where I struggle is when my boys do something embarrasing. Oi vey!).

goofypicwithbruce

4 THINGS ABOUT MY BLOG & WRITING:

  1. As a child, my best friend and I would go to cemeteries, write down names and dates. Then we’d use those details to create stories. We even wrote pretend letters from characters to one another (a weird way to start your writing career, I know).
  2. And yet. . .as a homeschooler I took several months to write a one-page essay. There was even a threat of missing synchronized swimming practice if I didn’t write it.
  3. Back in 2007 I started my first blog (family one) “The Mac Boys” & then I started “Talk Tips” (Speech Pathology help for parents)
  4. In 2011 I got the idea for this blog while speaking to a MOPs group (the same morning I woke up uber early to watch the royal wedding. Did you watch it?).
declarechurchbulletin

(this pic is from my church bulletin this Summer. . .total coincidence and totally perfect.)

4 OF MY FAVORITE THINGS (outside of the obvious–God,family, friends):

  1. Listening to Kat Lee’s podcast while grocery shopping.
  2. Drinking from a nice cool slender can of LaCroix Cherry Lime by the pool while my boys happily swim together. mmmm…
  3. Musical theater. . .watching it, singing show tunes, dreaming about it.
  4. Teaching others something I’m passionate about. . .whether it’s preschoolers on Sunday, my boys around the kitchen table, moms through my blog/podcast or girlfriends at Bible Study. big fan.

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Whew. Okay hope you survived being hit by my 4×4 post. Would love to learn more about you.

What’s one of your recent favorite things?