I hardly know where to start when talking about the past week. I have so many emotions wrapped up into it that its hard to work them out, I'm giving it a try though.
On Wednesday my family headed out of town in two vehicles. Mom drove the rental car and I drove the van. We were headed to the Home Educators Association of Virginia Convention. My family has been working at the convention for the past eleven years, six of which we have been the exhibit hall coordinators. It has been a wonderful experience for our family. We have made so many good friends whom we consider family and many great homeschooling ideas have come from lessons learned there. Heather, Taylor and I have all graduated at the homeschool graduation ceremony that is held at this convention every year and Zachary graduated there this year.
A recap of the weekend goes something like this...
Wednesday:
We came in on Wednesday to look over the exhibit hall layout and make sure everything was in order. We had a few things messed up here and there, but nothing too awful. After the run through was over we all went back to the hotel because some of us had food poison from earlier that day. Travis, Heather and Riley made it in sometime after one in the morning. We spent a little while catching up then all went straight to bed. We had a log day ahead of us.
Thursday:
We awoke at 6:30am and headed over to the convention center to check in vendors and help them set up. The ALERT guys were very helpful this year, as always.
A big thanks goes out to Joseph Miller who helped out a lot during check-in and check-out. He liked our purple flower pens and wanted to wear one. :)
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| Taylor and Joseph checking vendors in. |
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| Joseph Miller and his Purple flower pen. |
Noah Knight, one of our vendors' little kids came to see us a lot at the check-in table. He brought over his snake book so he could show us which snakes to stay away from. He is one of nine Knight kids. Knights Book Knook is the name of their company it has always been a favorite of the families.
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| Noah Knight |
Noah is one of my very special convention friends. He is so much fun to talk to and play with. He is eight years old and has Gelastic Epilepsy. It is caused by an inoperable brain tumor on the hypothalamus (the base of the brain). But he doesn't let that stop him from being a very active young man. Noah has always held a special place in my family's heart.
After check-in was over and the vendors all set up. We headed to the front of the hall to open up the exhibit hall! The first day went off without any hitches. The Knight kids kept us entertained the whole evening by coming to visit us at the front of the hall a lot.
Friday:
Friday was the first day of a full on convention.
One of the other Knight kids Sarah, was a frequent visitor. She would find her way to our table and we would take her back to her momma only to have her show up again a few minutes later. We called her our homing pigeon all weekend. Sarah is the youngest Knight child at 3 years old.
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| Sarah Knight |
It was really rare moments when we knew where mom was. If you know the book series Where in the World is Waldo, you understand what I'm talking about. She would run from place to place in that hall, dealing with this and that. She works really hard at the convention.
Saturday:
The day of Zachary's graduation! I must tell the truth and say that I cried a lot during his graduation. I'm so proud of him and the man that he is becoming. He is going to be attending Faulkner with Taylor and I in the fall.
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| Uncle Zachary |
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| The Family and Sarah :) |
After graduation we rushed back to the exhibit hall to close it out for the last time. Many tears were shed that night by the Bear family and vendors alike.
Mrs. Ginny has been a wonderful family friend the past six years. We all see her as more like family then a vendor. She is such a wonderful person. Her company name is Homeschoolmania. She sells homeschooling t-shirts, cups and bags.
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| Mrs. Ginny and Mom |
On the last night mom and Mrs. Ginny wanted to get away from the rush of the vendors packing up so they hid away in Mrs. Ginny's trailer. Her Daughter, Juliet found them and tried to pull them out. It took a little effort, but they came around.
Lord willing we will be keeping in touch with Mrs. Ginny still as the years go on.
Packing up the vending hall is always a little stressful and a bit of an organized chaos. We once again had the help of the ALERT team and a few of the Millers pitched in as well. Taylor, Dad and I ran the process trying to get everyone out in the best way possible.
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| Dad checking Vendors out. |
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| Zack and Jake help load up. |
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| Micah Miller giving a hand. |
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| Travis worked really hard at convention |
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| The Knight kids! |
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| Ben is looking really sleepy at this point. |
When all of the vendors were gone except the Knights (they are usually the last ones out), Benjamin and I took some silly pictures to keep him entertained while his mom and the guys were loading them up. Benjamin is 6 and full of energy!
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| He is such a cutie! |
Later, we had a rubber band war to continue to keep them preoccupied.
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| Ouch! |
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| Michaela Knight |
Then it was time to tell the Knights good-bye. It was really hard to leave them all. They have been a blessing to our family. Lord willing, I hope to get the chance to see them in the future. I am grateful for the years we have been able to get to know them.
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| Naomi Knight |
Well that about wraps up the week! It has been really hard for our family to close the door on the convention, but we felt it was time. It was a wonderful experience, and we will miss so many. When one door closes though others open. I'm very excited to see what the Lord has planed for the Bear family's future!
Until next time!
India Bear
