Me & Shawn. We go way back.

Phew!  So glad last night is over, but what an AMAZING night!!!  It was DE Right to Life's annual banquet.  We had several guests/presenters and it was fabulous!

First we had music from a local singer/songwriter, Caitlin Jane.  This girl is so dang beautiful and makes the most beautiful music!  Please check her out and order her new CD!  If nothing else, AT LEAST watch this video.  Dare ya not to cry.  (I'm featured in an interview on the DVD that's coming out soon!  Can't wait!)

 

Next was Special Guest speaker, Miss Delaware 2011, Maria Cahill!  She's a brilliant and convicted 20-year-old woman who's not afraid to stand up for life!  She's the 2nd of 7 kids from a devoutly Catholic family.  She spoke at our Women's Conference earlier this spring and when the video of her talk went viral, she suffered a LOT of backlash for it.  "Beauty queens shouldn't be talking about such controversial topics, etc etc."  The usual.  She hadn't even competed in the Miss Delaware competition yet, but she wasn't going to be silenced (and obviously it didn't hurt her chances at winning!!).  She's still offering her services to us at any event she can be of help.  Root for Miss Delaware in the Miss America pageant in January!

I hesitated to post a picture of my 8-month-pregnant-self next to a beauty queen, but I'm working on humility.  Figured there wasn't a better lesson than this.  Ugh.

Then, the coup de grace - our keynote speaker, Shawn Carney!  O. M. G.  You guys, I had heard that he's an amazing speaker, but I was NOT prepared for this!!!  If any of  you work with a pro-life organization of any kind....HIRE this man for your next event!!!  I wish we'd been able to record his talk, but it didn't work out.  All I can say is that I've had more compliments on our event in the last 12 hours than I think I've had combined in the last 3 years I've been president!!!  Just...wow.  Here we are...old buddies!  :)

Somehow I look way better in the pic next to a dude than next to a 20 year old beauty queen.  Odd.

Funny sidenote: dude is YOUNG!!  He walked up to us in the hotel lobby and there were only 3 of us there at the time (we were setting up).  I was the oldest at 33, the banquet coordinator is 32, and the other board member there with us is 20.  He goes, "Wow, y'all are young!"  We just kind of looked at him like, "Ummmm...look in a mirror much??"  He says, "What?  I'm gonna be 30 this year!"  Yeah.  Like we said.  Anyway, he's accomplished so much at such a young age.  And he's got the greatest personality and sense of humor.  It was such a fun evening!

Now on the docket for today - a giant nap!