NCFIC Gospel-Centered Marriages Conference ~ Part 2

Seeing folks I know at conferences we attend and meeting new people are two things I really enjoy...actually, I love it!

The National Center for Family-Integrated Churches conference I wrote about in the previous post was attended by 2,200 people! What a turnout! It was so fun to see many folks we knew from Virginia there, but also we saw many old friends from across the United States.

First, let me tell you about two blogging friends that I met for the first time--in real life! I was so excited!

Here's "Mrs. U" from the blog Making a House a Home. She recognized us all from seeing us on the blog, but we'd never seen a photo of her that I could remember. We met her family and kept running into each other throughout the weekend...and hugging every time we did! (Sorry about the slightly out-of-focus photo.) This was a very fun meeting!Below: here we are visiting after Mrs U introduced us to another family she knew from Canada while we waited for Tom who was standing in the long registration line.Next I met sweet Laura from The Muncks Quiver!! Most of her children stayed home to run their family business, but we did meet her husband, oldest daughter Elizabeth, son, and baby #11 at the conference. Behind us Elizabeth and Sarah are getting acquainted:And here's Tom, Jonathan, and I meeting Mr. Munck and Elizabeth as they arrived to check in:Dear friends we know from the Richmond home fellowship group came over to visit. There's Alli on the left, her mom Julie, Alli's little daughter Esther, and Alli's mother-in-law Dawn.

Here I am with my friend Julie: And here's Jonathan talking with Julie's husband, Tony:

A family who drove all the way from California sat behind us at one of the keynote sessions and introduced themselves afterwards. It was so interesting talking with them and finding out we know friends who have attended their church...Hi, Fracchiollas!...small world! Below: also attending the Petersens' church out in California, Miss Antoinette, over at Practical Simplicity, and Hannah met for the first time; they have been online acquaintances for awhile now. Grace, of the Petersen clan above, also joined the girls:Old friends are always fun! Below are the Girotti and Hayden ladies talking at breakfast. We first met through our blogs many years ago, and we posted about their visit to our home here.Hannah met Tiffany from Kentucky and enjoyed eating and conversing together--we learned that we have mutual friends here in Virginia...Hi, Woods!: And last, but not least, we met a family from Washington State who sat across from us at lunch one day. I had never heard of Gig Harbor, Washington, but found out it's very close to Port Orchard. I visited a friend there years ago, so I could picture exactly where they live. It was fun getting acquainted and exchanging email addresses: I hope you've enjoyed meeting a few of the people we ran into at the conference. And there are more, too!

Next up: NCFIC Gospel Centered Marriages Conference ~ Part 3 ~ Folks Who Invited Us Over

~Deb

Comments

[victoria]

And I remember a conference last spring where I got to meet a very sweet family named the Girottis. Glad to see you got to catch up with so many folks. What a wonderful time.

Victoria

[Tammy]

How fun, I would so love to meet Mrs. U! :)

[Tammy]

Gospel-Centered Marriages seems like it would be of interest to many.

Didn't realize it had been 4 years since the Haydens were at your house.I guess they were less one with Caleb being married.

Neat that you met people from the blog world!

[Julie]

We enjoyed seeing you too! Thanks for the pictures:)

[Heather]

Deb,

I am sooo jealous that you met up with Shari and the Yucks! ;o) I have been in a small email group with them for the last couple of years. They are sweet, godly women!!!

We wanted to go so badly, but we are so far away. Sigh! ;o)

I have heard it was a fantastic conference. Looking forward to hearing the sessions!

~Heather

[The Bryants]

Hello!

We enjoyed seeing your pictures from last week's NCFIC conference; thank you for sharing. We know of your family through mutual friends (and recognize many familiar faces here in your post :) but unfortunately did not meet you at the conference last week! Your family did a fantastic job of capturing your entire week at the conference. Maybe in the future our paths will cross.

God bless! 1 Peter 5:10

[Vicki]

Wow Deb- you have fun every where! This looks like a wonderful gathering of friends and " new friends". 2200 people- now that's impressive. I loved seeing the pictures- your daughters look so beautiful-- you always take a great picture. I can tell tgat you had a wonderful visit!
Vicki

[Leigha Wood]

Hello dear friends,

We are so glad that you got to meet our precious friends the Pope's...I know you had a blessed time together and sweet fellowship...we miss you all so much!!

Love,
Leigha for the Woods

[Kelly]

Hey that is my oldest daughter Jordan that is in the second picture down in the purple shirt standing next to My son in law Caleb Yuck. It is a small world.

Kelly