Monday, October 13, 2008

The IMB Conference

We got our travel information for the ISC/ Journeyman Conference on Saturday! Going overseas to do missions is becoming more and more real to me. As I've been thinking about this, something that a friend of mine said after getting back from J-man training has been coming to mind. "There were some couples there with kids. Everything they did was about the kids." I realize that this statement represents a very big difference between me and a lot of the other women who will be at the conference and the training that follows. I have children. They do not.

This fact became even more clear when I saw the sheet in the information packet that said, "Feel free to bring group games if there's room in your luggage," when discussing our free time at night. All I could think was, "I'm going to need to pump a lot to make sure that I keep my milk supply up. Then I'm going to want a really long shower to make up for all the five-minute mini-showers that I've taken in the last year. I'll have to call B. Wal to check in on the kids before it gets too late. Oooooo, and I'll be able to get some good, quality sleep. When am I supposed to play games, I wonder?"

This wouldn't be such a big issue except that I'm pretty sure that my references would point to the fact that I have a bit of a problem with being slow to socialize in new situations. That might cause the powers-that-be to grow a bit concerned if I run to the room immediately following all of the planned activities for the day. I'm going to have to try to compensate, but not over-compensate.

I've already considered coming up with some topics for conversation that do not include my children's bodily fluids or the differences between C-sections and regular births. My plan is to write them on my arm and sneak a peek when the conversation seems to lull and it's my turn to say something fascinating.

Edwin and I were lame to begin with. Post-kids, we're just plain dull. The other night we were playing cards with B. Whit and her hubby. My nerdiness became abundantly clear when B. Whit said something about Edwin mocking her. I started making jokes about how I shouldn't even be standing with him, since he is a mocker, a play on Psalm 1. They didn't find it very funny the first time, so I made a similar joke a few minutes later. And I'm pretty sure that I did one more variation later on in the evening. Apparently jokes with a biblical reference aren't the best choice for a Friday night card game.

I need to talk to my brother, a popular guy at a Christian college. He can tell me what those crazy kids are up to these days. I'm only 24, so I wonder when I got so old. If all else fails, I'll find the one other mommy and discuss the differences between Pamper's and Huggie's.

5 comments:

Brooke said...

I'm not so sure that's a good idea. Isn't your brother the one that finds it hilarious to move the wise men far away from nativity scenes because they aren't biblically accurate? You and your brother are two peas in a pod.

Hannah Attaway said...

Maybe... but:
a. he did that joke in high school
b. he pulls it off beautifully (if you don't believe me, look at his photos on facebook)
c. we are talking about potential missionaries here, little chance that they're the clubbin' type anyway. :)

Rachel said...

I know how you feel. I _hate_ small talk - especially to people I don't know!! Chris is so good at it and he keeps trying to give me pointers, but all of his ideas of things to say to people seem like they would be nosy if I said them. I'm going to write a blog about it sometime - I just haven't gotten around to it yet. I think some people are just born with good small-talking abilities and others aren't. I'm not sure if I'll ever learn. But I guess that's a defeatist attitude. Anyway, good luck with coming up with a list of things to talk about - that is actually the best I've ever been able to do - when I have predetermined subjects in my mind.

Lindsay said...

Pampers for sure. And pumping... ugh.... The thought of doing that now makes me shudder.

I'm sure you'll do fine at the conference. When I'm in those situations, there are some people that I find no problem
being chatty with, and some people that I have excrutiatingly awkward moments with trying to think of things to talk about. It just depends on the person. Hopefully you'll be able to find someone there like Brooke who will talk to a wall for hours and all you have to do is sit back and listen :). (Yep, you know it's true, B.) Have fun!

Christy said...

oh and look how good you did! I was convinced I was the socially inept one in our group... and we even played a game. You are such a cool Mommy!

You should have told me you needed to discuss such things as Pampers and Huggies... I am very opinionated about that topic!