Arkansas Women Blogger Meetup Huge Success

Just over a year ago, I sat in line for four hours to get a cookbook signed by the extraordinary Pioneer Woman. I met many wonderful women in line that night and as I was driving the two hours home, I thought about the fact that I was not the only woman blogger in Arkansas. A few months later I started a little blog to try and wrangle all these women into one place in the bloggity world. Arkansas Women Bloggers was born. After a few months it was evident that I needed some help, enter Fawn of Instead of the Dishes and Julie of Willow Tree Creek Farm stage right.

For a while we put up posts of Arkansas bloggers on the site and we chit chatted about how much fun it would be to have some type of meetup or even *GASP* a blog conference. After looking at several college football schedules (because that is how all events in the Fall in the South are planned), it kind of got put on the back burner. And, then enter Katie McManners of the Museum of Discovery stage left. I was talking to Katie on the phone about their MOD Voices series where she asked me to write a guest post for the museum. I learned quickly that if you put Katie and I together, ideas and excitement rule the day.

From that initial conversation, the first Arkansas Women Bloggers Meetup hosted by the Museum of Discovery was born. With the enormous generosity of Petit Jean Meats (who has the most delicious food and they ship to your door), along with Boulevard Bread Company, Kroger, drink sponsor Momcation, and the extraordinary blogger/cupcake maker Elaine Hodges of Cupcake Crazy Arkansas, the event was planned.

Forty-five women bloggers, "the whos who of women bloggers in Arkansas" according to Katie McManners, descended upon the museum this past Saturday. For over two hours we networked, met new friends, shared information, and enjoyed being inspired by speakers LaTonya Richardson and Kyran Pittman.

collage by Gina of Desperately Seeking Gina

The day would not have been possible without the help of my extraordinary friends Fawn and Julie. Ladies, you are an inspiration to me and proof that valuable, true friendships can be made in the bloggy world. I am a better woman for knowing you both. Now, let's get to work on that conference, haha. I would also like to thank my new friend LaTonya, you are composed, articulate, funny, true to the woman God created you to be and I am so glad I can call you friend.

For all of you Arkansas bloggers, stay tuned on Arkansas Women Bloggers for information on what we have up our sleeves next and for those of you who are not from the Natural State, think about planning a meetup in your area, it is a BLAST!

Inspired and Grateful,
The Park Wife

The Park Wife Is A Facebook Quitter

Yes, I quit Facebook. Now, get up off the floor from shock and let me tell you why. Their names are Big Buckaroo, Little Buckaroo and Littlest Buckaroo. It was not that I sat at the computer all day watching people's status go from "single" to "in a relationship" and back the next day, nor was I obsessed that someone was not going to be able to feed their pig on Farmville because I have live animals outside my back door that need actual food that I have to get in my vehicle, drive to town, use real money to buy at the co-op, then feed. In reality, it sucked time from my life in spurts that really added up.

I would be going to put a load of clothes in the dryer, stop to see new status updates and stroll through new pictures for 10 minutes. Then, as I was going to get a book to read to the boys, I stopped to see if there where any new friend requests. Another 5 minutes sucked away, 10 when I could not figure out who they were then feel guilty for not accepting. This happened all day long. Speaking of friends, I had over 400 Facebook friends and can guarantee that if I was sick or in a bind, there are just a handful of them that would show up at my back door with soup or to offer to help with my kids. I know, I know, it is a social networking tool, not real life. hmmmmm......really? Is it for you?

I do love that I reconnected with people from my childhood (love you Cathy Strahan, Aunt Libby, Marijoy, Nicky C., Suzanne J. and some others) and kept up-to-date on my brothers, I do have 5 of them, but I will now keep in touch with more primitive means like email and the phone, hey I might even write a letter and send it by snail mail. The FB mind cloud has cleared, I know that collecting friends, virtual gifts and wall posts does not validate me as a person or attribute to my success as a living, breathing human.

I have worked hard to take away all the noise in my life that could possibly detract from a life well-lived and focus on things that actually contribute to my growth spiritually, intellectually, my family's happiness. And then I registered on Facebook. No more, I say!

I will continue my blog because it is a fun space for me to write, post pictures, make meaningful and beneficial connections with like-minded people, keep family updated, and blab about my life on a state park. I love that people are reading and I welcome all comments (and I do love them) but my motivation now is to worry less about Google Analytics and more about developing my voice as a writer. And, making sure Grandma has the latest pictures of her little guys.

Now, I know this choice is not for everyone, it is what is right for me. And, I do not think Facebook is evil, just does not add to my life in a meaningful way. Since logging off, I have not felt stress over getting homeschooling done, house cleaning, cooking, playing with kids, preparing for a huge blog meetup that is tomorrow, working on making our town a better place to live and on and on. I feel lighter and happier, less ragged.

Status: Mom guilt subsided, kids and hubby happy, spending more time in His word, going to meet 54 women bloggers from my state tomorrow, life is great. (Did I go over my 140 character limit?)
The Park Wife