First, let me point you to much better Blathering recaps, each delightful to read and smile your way through, even if you didn't go but definitely if you did. Then, let me say that, for me, there's both too much to say and yet no words to say it all with. I don't know how that's possible, but it is.
I want to share dozens of funny stories and link to every lovely, hilarious, stylish, smart lady I met and I could (really, everyone was incredible and I both solidified friendships and made brand-new ones), but I thought I'd sum up all the awesomeness by saying:
Three years ago I read Christina's post, although I can't remember for the life of me how I found it, and fell a little bit in love with her.
Everyone knows that life moves fast, that babies grow into toddlers, toddlers to teenagers. We have all seen it before, we know it is true. Just like so many lessons handed to me this year, the passing of time has never been as evident. Or so hard, so trying, so damn fantastic.
Christina now writes for Style Lush, writes me emails, sends me champagne art for my kitchen, and when she walked into the Blathering house, I finally got to meet a friend I've had for years.
That's what the Blathering is, ultimately. It's the chance for so many of us to hug friends we've just met yet loved for years. It's also the chance to make new friends we'll hug at the Blathering 2015, reminiscing about the dusty, queso-filled time we first met in Austin.
See, blogging is big and blog friends always seem to live too damn far away but, thankfully, the Blathering seems to stop time for a short time and shrinks distance for a little while.
{This photo borrowed from the lovely and so pretty Jen!}
I hope you can make it next year, and I hope I can make it every year, but I'll be always grateful for every friend that this crazy little space on the internet has given me.
I'll be always grateful for the chance to take my online friendships off, for one perfect weekend each year.
(A few more of my photos here.)