TpT Conference...WOW!!!

     {{{I'm off to bed, but maybe I can do another quick post in the morning! Tomorrow's agenda: VBS, lunch, get stuff ready for Vegas, drive to Vegas {about 2 1/2 hours for me! :)}, get checked in...pick up name tag & check in for TpT Conference!!!!!}}}
    This is what I wrote Wednesday night....here's how the next day really went: No quick post in the morning...too busy getting stuff done around the house, off to VBS {Vacation Bible School} which runs from 9-12...

a little before 10:30 I get a call from my doctor's office.  I had done a mammogram on Monday & they wanted to take a closer look at something on my left side.  They wanted me to come in as soon as I could.  Well...I was planning to leave town right after I had lunch & a quick stop at Walmart, & a stop at the house to get all my stuff for the trip... I had arranged to meet another attendee at 5:00 in Vegas {2-2 1/2 hour drive from home}...I called the hospital to see if they could get me in SOON...they scheduled me for 12:20.  I thought, "This will work out, I will just leave early so that I could get checked in and maybe they just might be ahead of schedule."  I spoke with those who would be affected by my leaving early and got the green light!  So, I looked for my car keys {I planned to leave at 11:30}...oops...where were my keys??? hmmm...this is me...

     Every year my students get to hear this at least once; yes, my mother did tell me that, and boy am I glad it is fastened on!!!.......COULD NOT FIND MY KEYS!!!  10 minutes into my search all over our church for my keys, my parents call.  {Praying how to shorten this next part down} My brother-in-law has been sick for the last few weeks and in and out of the hospital in the last week, it has been a major roller coaster especially for my sister, at times looking not so bad, to pretty bad, back up to not so bad. My parents let me know that my sister had called them and wanted them to come to the hospital {about an hour away for them} IMMEDIATELY! It sounded like things were dire for my brother-in-law...as I kept looking for my keys I ask friends at my church pray.  I found the keys around 11:55 and took off for the hospital.  After I left the hospital I headed to Walmart to find a big red bag to take to the conference....

     I was so pleased that the one I found looks exactly like what I had envisioned it to the night before in bed! :)  
     I got the 'go ahead' from my parents to head to Vegas and it sounded not so bad for my brother-in-law.  Traffic made me later than I wanted to be, but I was able to meet and have dinner with Kelly Malloy of An Apple for the Teacher.  I do love The Cheesecake Factory!

     I feel like we really connected and I have a new friend!   She is a 'Rock Star' in the teacher 'Tweeting' world!! She has 5 1/2 THOUSAND followers!!  I am going to have to learn a thing or two from her about Twitter!  Also, when I checked out her blog I felt even more connected {check it out & I think you will see why!}
     Friday morning I was so excited...here I am ready to leave the hotel...

When I walked into the main conference room for breakfast & the Keynote Session I just whispered, "Wow!" repeatedly!

At the Keynote session we heard several speakers; Amy Berner Head of Community and Editorial for Teachers, Paul the Founder of TpT, and Deanna Jump TpT's number 1 seller were among those who spoke.  I am glad that Paul chose to do what many told him would never work!!

It was wonderful to visit with sellers I had previously met, some I had only met online, & one who couldn't be there in 3D had a picture with her 2D!

L to R, T to B...Mel from Graphics from the Pond & Frog Spot, Kristin from A Teeny, Tiny Teacher, Hadar from Miss Kindergarten, Amanda from One Extra Degree, Erin from I'm Lovin Lit, & Deanna from Mrs. Jump's Class.

   I learned so many things Friday, some of which I have already started focusing on!

    One more thing I would like to share in this post about the conference {hopefully more in future posts} is about Deanna Jump {Mrs. Jump's Class}  She is TpT's first millionaire and is now a multimillionaire!!!  But, that is not what is so amazing about her, in my opinion what is so amazing is who she is and her story.  Several years ago I did a blog post titled, "Teaching Blogs Making the World a Better Place" in which I referenced the part of her story that I knew because of this post of hers, "Thank You for What You Have Done" At the Keynote Session she shared more of her story and how her family was struggling financially, how she prayed nightly {forgive me Deanna if I get your wording wrong, hopefully I get the gist of the prayer right, please correct me if I am wrong!} "Please, Lord I will do the work if you will provide a way!" She tried applying at a Junior/Community College as a teacher, but that never worked out, and several other directions.  Her first year she made a total of $300 and almost did renew her membership with TpT.  When her sales took off and suddenly jumped to $27,000, not knowing if it would ever happen again she & her husband made the decision to spend it on...go to her blog post to read her telling of it, if you don't already know.
     Last year I had the privilege of meeting her and this year when I spoke to her I asked if she was familiar with Casting Crown's song Dream for You.  She was, but said she would have to go back & listen to it again to see herself in the song...boy did God have an amazing dream for her!! Consider letting God dream for you as well!!
     My husband & daughter joined me in Vegas after the conference.  We enjoyed a great seafood buffet at the Fremont.  Saturday & Sunday we visited with my stepdaughter & her family...they just moved back to Vegas so we had a great time being grandparents. 

     I have shared all of the blessings of the last few days, now I have a prayer request for you.  My brother-in-law had a major stroke Saturday morning and will not recover.  I have spent much of the last few days on the phone and in prayer for him and my sister, your prayers would be greatly appreciated as well.  I hope to blog again within the next few days.

***Just added this post to A Burst of First's Vegas Linky!

http://aburstoffirst.blogspot.com/2014/07/its-vegas-baby.html