ACFW Dallas Wed

DFW Hyatt Regency, Dallas, Texas

The conference hotel was the Dallas Fort Worth Hyatt Regency which was located right there on the airport property. When I arrived, Kyle, the desk clerk, asked if I had a preference for a room floor. I said that I was from the Canadian prairies and had never been to Texas and that I wouldn't be getting off the airport property much, so whatever room he gave me would be the view I took back to Canada. He assigned me a room on the 8th floor. If you look in the above photo, I was in the left wing and a few windows before the corner.

Now, you have to understand that the airport is surrounded by flat agricultural land similar to the prairies I'd left behind. I was sure he'd would be hard pressed to give me a view I'd remember forever.

I was wrong.

When I opened my curtains at dawn the next day, this is what greeted me...

It was the same view I would see every morning of my stay. What a glorious way to start the day, eh.

I'd arrived on Tues afternoon, and Wed morning found me grabbing a coffee and muffin early and heading down to the conference area where I became a bag stuffer for a couple hours, so-called because we stuffed things in the ACFW bags. The bags this year were big, black, and sturdy and we stuffed them with an ACFW portfolio, the conference book/guide, a name badge hanger, and an info sheet. We were a half dozen strong at the start and about a dozen or more by the time we finished. Around and the around the room we went, pick up a bag, add one of everything as you passed each table, then set the bag in a box and loop around to the start again. Two hours of walking and reaching. That was my exercise for the day!

Free from my only volunteer task of the day, I moseyed around the hotel checking where everything was until Inky Gina Welborn drove up. She was going to the airport to meet Laurie Alice Eakes and Angie Breidenbach, but had parked her car and was taking the free airport shuttle. Having nothing better to do but spend time with friends, I tagged along. It was only a 3-5 min drive to the terminal Laurie was arriving at so we got there lickety-split.

Back at the hotel later, I was on hand to greet new and old friends as they arrived. I always love that part of the conference - when the lobby doors open and someone shouts my name, arms open wide for a hug. It's a special time of reacquaintance.

Authors Laurie Alice Eakes, Gina Welborn, and Angie Breidenbach (all clients of Tamela Hancock Murray)

For supper, we headed to nearby Grapevine, Texas in Gina's car. Inkies Jennifer AlLee and Lisa Richardson would follow a bit later in the shuttle that runs from the hotel to the Grapevine Mall.

Grapevine, Texas, September 19th, 2012

This was my first time driving with Gina and I'd be one of the first in line to say I love this woman. However, I was in the front passenger seat and there were extenuating circumstances which made me cling to the door that had nothing to do with Gina's driving skills. Like a disobedient GPS which didn't seem to understand that sometimes you need to take a detour when roads are blocked off because city engineers were in the process of blowing up a bridge. I thought I handled the quick darts across traffic quite admirably considering I pass three - maybe six cars tops - during the hour it takes me to get from our farm to the city. 

Meanwhile, Angie and Laurie Alice provided back seat support.

My GPS says we need to turn . . . that way . . . oh, that's okay there's another one ahead. (Angie Breidenbach)

I offered help by looking at the sun and using my sense of direction to tell Gina where to go. I also texted Jen and asked her to start praying. Of course when she answered, Gina wanted to know why Jen was praying for us. Thankfully, Angie drew her attention back to the road so I didn't have to answer. And then we were there...

I was never lost. I took the scenic route to the mall. And now we're here. Yay, me!!! (Gina Welborn)

We made it and I'm still alive. Thank you, God! (Laurie Alice Eakes)

We ate at the Rainforest Cafe - a treat for me since I hadn't been to one since I visited the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota back in the 80's.  

Outside the Rainforest Cafe in the Grapevine Mall, Grapevine, Texas, Sep 2012

The quick trip back to the hotel was uneventful - an anti-climatic experience to a renewal of friendships. Not sure how Jen and Lisa beat us back in the shuttle...

Upon arriving, I found that my roomie, Inky Dina Sleiman, had arrived. And many, many, other friends. Have I said yet that I love the ACFW annual conference? :)