A Weekend to Remember

A year ago this weekend, Joe and I got engaged! It's almost hard to believe, the time has flown by so very fast. It hasn't always been easy but it has definitely been rewarding. We celebrated this weekend by attending "A Weekend to Remember", a marriage conference/retreat put on by Family Life. When we signed up for the event, I didn't realize that the date corresponded with our engagement anniversary but it was pretty cool to be celebrating it during the event. There were about 400 people at the conference from every walk of life- some people were engaged, the was a couple that had only been married for 7 days and there was even a couple that had been married for 58 years! It was all around an incredible weekend! I laughed so hard, our speakers were so funny but I learned a lot too. With me being the emotional sap that I am, I even shed a few tears (no laughing, Meg!) - I knew I was in trouble when they were passing out tissues at the door at one of the sessions! :) It was a great time to reconnect with Joe and the topics that were discussed opened up doors for some interesting conversations. We were able to reflect on this past year and figure out what has been working and what areas still need work. I can't say enough good things about the weekend - the conference was really well done - we learned a lot and had fun too! We didn't sit around and sing Kum-by-ya or hold hands or break into small groups - it was just Joe and I (with a whole bunch of other people) listening to some hilariously wise speakers.
I highly recommend this conference to anyone who is engaged or married - no matter if you have been married for a short time (like me) or a long time, it will change your marriage! If you (or someone you know) is contemplating divorce, I recommend you attend this conference before making a final decision, it is really eye-opening. It is worth every penny, and more. If they have an event here in far-away Hawaii, they will certainly have one in your state (or not too far away - you can see a list here). I'm afraid this is starting to sound like an infomercial, sorry friends, I just want everyone to know that (a) I had a great time and (b) I believe in the value of marriage and I really respect what Family Life is trying to do with these conferences. When I think of my family and friends, I can't think of a single couple that would not benefit from attending one of these weekends (and yes, that includes my parents). I feel so strongly about this, that I signed up to be a group leader. If you want to go to a conference, you can sign up with my group and get 1/2 off the registration fee (and no, I don't get paid for this, I don't get anything for being a group leader). You can attend any conference, in any state, with the discount rate. You could even come visit me in Hawaii and attend if you want :)! I might even let you stay with me! :)

If you want more info, you can e-mail me & I'd be happy to share more about our experience. If you are interested in attending a conference and want to sign up with my group, the group name is: TheCrispins and the link can be found here. Feel free to pass this onto anyone you think would like to attend a conference.