{brigham city women's forum}

Yesterday morning, I had the great opportunity to go to Brigham City and speak at the Brigham City Community Hospital Women's Forum (Download bcch_womens_forum_brochure_9_071.pdf)  on the topic of "Gift Ideas." I was approached during the summer and asked if I would be willing and able to be a guest speaker at this fundraising event. I was more than happy to do so. I was told that the session sizes  range between 25-30 women, although Friday evening, I received a phone call informing me that my class had gone from 30 women to 60 women that day and that it was the largest class they had ever had. The class size wasn't intimating to me, but finding out at the last minute gave me a slight panic attack for a sec. I had been planning to do a small make & take, but had only prepared 35 kits. So, instead, I scrapped that idea Friday evening and decided to have each of the ladies make a candy holder that my cute friend Theresa Marie had taught us at QKU last year as MY gift to them for attending the session. (Thanks Baby T!!) The possibilities are endless for this quick & easy project and the ladies loved it. Another THANK YOU to Fancy Pants Designs for donating the product for that fun project!

About 11 am on Friday, I was starting to feel slightly overwhelmed with everything that had to be completed that day. Not only was I working on putting together my presentation for the Women's Forum, but I was doing quite a bit of prep for 2 Super Saturdays we did on Saturday and making samples and sign-up sheets for Chas' aunt who is doing a mini enrichment at the end of November on "Keeping CHRIST in Christmas." Right as I was feeling the most overwhelmed, the phone rang and it was my little sister Kristin. She asked how I was doing and I immediately got a little teary. I don't get that way very often, but every now and again my life catches up to me and I am just worn out. After chatting for a little bit, she said, "Well, can I come in?" That caught me off guard. She said that she had actually been sitting in our driveway. LOL! She had just dropped by...JUST BECAUSE.....just to see how I was doing. She came in and visited for a little while and then offered to run and pick up the M&Ms I needed for my little project for the Women's Forum. Kristin knows very well that I'm not very good at accepting help...and she insisted. And I am so grateful. What a blessing that Kristin listened to the prompting to just "drop in" on me today....when I needed a "just thinking of you" visit. I am also so grateful for my awesome friend Jodi who insisted on putting all of the M&Ms in baggies while I was busy routering and sorting wood for Super Saturdays. THANKS JODI & KRISTIN for your friendship and for lightening my load!!

Friday night, in the middle of my Super Saturday/Forum prep, I headed to Bajio for dinner by myself and sat with a legal pad and focused on organizing my thoughts for my presentation on Saturday. After about an hour, it got a little busy and noisy and I headed next door to Starbucks for a Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate (sorry Melissa...I totally cheated) and some quiet. It was so awesome to sit in the quiet and really feel the inspiration flow with what I wanted to present that next morning.

Saturday went AWESOME! I started my presentation by sharing a quote that has really always been my motto for life, but had never heard it put into words until I read it just a few months ago. Sister Marjorie Pay Hinckley said, "What can I do to make life happier for someone today?" I love that. As soon as I read that quote, I immediately had it printed in vinyl for my bathroom mirror. Following my intro, I continued by simply presenting a large variety of gift ideas that I had on display (including a cute altered memo pad taught by my friend Michelle at our QKU last year) and talking about the importance of keeping things quick and easy, but thoughtful as well. About 3/4 of the way through my session, I shared a few thoughts that I really felt strongly about sharing. I talked about the importance of becoming thoughtful and aware - the importance of truly LISTENING and noticing. I talked about focusing on gift giving when gifts are not expected. Listening for those "out of the ordinary" events and giving gifts or small tokens of kindness for THOSE, instead of only on birthdays, etc. I gave the example of noticing when a girlfriend really LOVES a particular dessert at a restaurant, and then REMEMBERING that when that same girlfriend is having a rough day possibly even YEARS later so that you can run and pick up that same dessert to brighten her day. I closed by sharing that not only will your friends and family be touched by the fact that you were thinking of them, but by this small detail that you remembered and ACTED UPON, they will know that you were LISTENING and NOTICING....and THAT is a gift beyond price.

At the end of the session, I gave away a bunch of fun products donated by Fancy Pants Designs and from my own personal "stash" and the ladies LOVED that. While they were picking up the packets of 'Neighbor Gift Ideas' that I had prepared for them to take, many of the ladies came up to talk, ask questions and share their feelings about the session. They were all so h appy with the class and enjoyed it thoroughly. It was a raging success. One cute gal as she was walking in at the beginning of the session, immediately pulled me aside and said, "This may seem really weird to you, but I totally feel like I know you because I read your blog every day!" LOL! She was such a sweetheart. And since I completely forgot to take a picture of the room when it was FULL of ladies, I took a picture of me with her at the end of the class! (The photo above!) So fun! I was also surprised with a gift from the ladies that organize the Women's Forum - a beautiful Christmas throw by Ned Young, a local Brigham City artist.

After my class, they served a wonderful lunch and I was so happy to run into my good friend Alisa who had also been invited to speak at the Forum in the session right after lunch. She is so great. I wish I had been able to stay for her class, but I had to get home soon after we had eaten. It was such a wonderful day and a great opportunity to mingle with so many wonderful women. Thank you SO MUCH to all of those involved in organizing the Brigham City Community Hospital Women's Forum, for inviting me to be part of this wonderful event. 

Comments

[Michelle S]

That sounds like a fun day Heather! I can see how you would be a little nervous about the class size doubling from what was expected, but also exciting as well. Your gift ideas are awesome, and I think it is cool that you included the alterted memo pad that I taught at QKU. Thanks for the shout out!

[Linda U]

Those lucky ladies! I wish I could have been one of them...what a great class! I have been a huge fan of Alisa's for a LONG time. I'll bet her class was great too! I hope you're enjoying a relaxing day after all of that!!

[Sophia C.]

Heather, I'd have run down and listened if I'd have realized this in advance. Sadness! Sounds like you did a marvelous job, as always. Your projects look great, as always. You're amazing, as always.

S~

[Jana Kigin]

Would you be willing to share you neighbor gift ideas packet? I wish I could have been there. My peops come from BC.

[Bobbi-Jo]

You are truly inspiring! You really put in 100% into everything you do. I envy (in a nice way) those ladies who were able to attend your class. I'm sure you had a lot of valuable ideas to share! (LOVe the dessert idea). Congrats - you'll be blessed immensely for your hard work and service!

[Raimi]

Sounds like a fabulous day! You are the right person for the gift giving ideas & testimony of sharing what you have with others. Thanks for sharing all of the fun things you do! You are very inspiring & I wish you were MY neighbor so we could be friends :).

Raimi

[heidi larsen]

there is a special message for you on my blog.

[Bonnie B.]

Wish I lived closer so I could have come! I'm always at a loss for neighbor gifts! I'd love it if you could share!

[Martha]

Would love to know what the "Neighbor Gift Ideas" packets included and what the gift ideas were.

[Raquel]

I agree that those are some lucky ladies to have you teach them. You are so blessed with a wonderful talent to create. I love all your ideas and am trying to find a group of ladies that I can start a craft day with.
Raquel

[Sarah]

Hi Heather!
That sounds like the funnest day--those ladies were so lucky...I'd love to attend one of your presentations sometime. You're awesome to put so much effort into being a thoughtful person. :)
Sarah

[Terry Oler]

Heather...I'd love to get a copy of the Neighbor Gift Ideas. Are they for sale??