okay, who went???

[laura b]

we got home last night from L&L.....exhausted and happy!!!

so i'm wondering...who went? i met some people from RUN and it was totally cool!!!! and i got asked about RUN a lot and it came up in talks even. wow, i felt like a rock star...but a small sort of local one...LOL!! i'm hoping we'll have some good discussion here in this section of the forums about the conference. so come on and talk about it!!

[laura b]

silas got jonna's lovely print from the raffle!! we framed and hung it the very next day after getting home!

[laura b]

we miss you guys already...i keep thinking that i'll get up early to get in line for breakfast and see all your smiling faces!! all of the GA crew rocks!!!

we'll get to eat together again at ARGH though, and if madeline were going to be there, she could save us all a table maybe...

[Laura]

I was there! I was there! And as another Laura, I got a lot of "Ohmygosh you started RUN!" Um, no. I considered taking credit since it's *so cool* but I didn't. *grin*

[Laura]

Yes, I always come away with so much to digest, so many paradigm shifts to assimilate. But this time, the really profound change is that my husband experienced it for *himself* rather than through me, which can sometimes be loaded with our already existing dynamics (struggles). He's made mention several times of things he learned - sometimes asking for clarification, sometimes making statements as if reinforcing it within himself. And yesterday, out of the blue, he sent me a text that read "U know u make me a much better person" - how very cool is that? Ok, ready? All together now... "Awwwww!!!" *melt*

[Joni Zander]

Steffi and I were there - soaking it all up - all the Good Vibrations! Hoping to keeping them vibrating until we can make it to the Good Vibrations Conference next September!

The conferences have helped me so much on my journey of authenticity. It is just so cool to be around so many people striving to be their authentic selves. No games, no masks (except all those cool masks at the ball), just real relationships.

Other than the too-big-to-talk-about ah-ha from Beth's Peaceful Partnerships, my big ah-ha this year is the observation that, until our kids are about 12-13 they seem to be so much younger than their mainstream peers, but when they are over 13-14, they seem to be so much older/wiser than their mainstream peers. I've thought about this a lot this week and I think it is because they are allowed to fully live their childhood so they can truly mature, rather than staying in that rushed maturity for 10 to 20 years. If all the other benefits of unschooling are not enough, I think this one is huge!

[Rebecca Allen]

Beth's talk was truly inspiring. I've been lurking on her list for a while now, but I really felt her talk. That's one I'll get on MP3 to listen to again and again. So much to absorb from the conference!

What a beautiful a-ha about unschooled children! And so true. :)

[ps pirro]

How cool! Great pic. xox, p

[Jane B]

We were there too. :) I didn't get to go to too many talks and the ones I was at I didn't really get to hear too much. Jeff saw me tandem nursing my girls at Beth's talk and that bought me a few minutes to hear about her fight against baseball. But I so loved just that much. And I'm amazed by how much I soaked in just by being close to you all. I got to meet a few of you and saw many others of you from a distance. The greatest thing was that my mom came too and she liked it a lot. I think it has changed our relationship for the better and I'm so grateful for that. I guess (I wasn't there and heard from someone else) that she made a comment in one of the sessions that won applause. Something about never feeling guilty for doing what you want to do now ... Right on, Mom. She was asking, Ren I think, for book recommendations for my SIL. My nephew is "ADHD" and brilliant and Ren's discussion with Anne really got her thinking. So what a wonderful gift to us ... her being there.

[Flo Gascon]

We were there, too! Missing everyone now and feeling so grateful for the opportunity to feel completely supported. All of you are simply amazing- thank for creating a vibrant community.

So many things stand out in my mind but the one of the funniest moments I spent was with Mindy's son Max. He was selling pillows and I asked him if he'd be there later. He replied, Yup, we'll be here 24/7. And I said, Really?! You'll be spending the night out here, too ;) He said, No, not at night but we'll be here 24/7! He was so excited.

Such fun kids- they make me smile!

[Gail Higgins]

We were there...Gail, Broc, Brenna and Logan....still transitioning back to our home world. It was very cool for me to hear my "girl" as one of the speakers. I thought she rocked it! We each had the best time. Loved Broc and Ben doing the Blues Brothers at the talent show. Loved meeting so many people that I knew only from reading their blogs. We had so much fun that we're coming to ARGH in November!

[Gail Higgins]

I so agree, Joni. I hadn't really thought about it but it's true. I look at Brenna and Cameron and they are so much more sure of themselves them many other kids even in their early 20's and up. And Jake Ohman and Julian Baptista...up there on the stage with so much confidence and courage. Yet they are themselves and can play with all ages just having fun. Who is unschooling who really? I have so much to learn from them.

[Joni Zander]

Ah, well it was during Brenna and Cameron's presentations when I came to that particular ah-ha. Just watching them and listening to them being so sure, so grounded, and SO much more wise than any 18-20 year old I've ever encountered. So beautiful!