Out of town - again.

I guess this post will be about me and not the kids. That doesn't happen very often. I am in a hotel in Orlando Florida missing my cute family and getting ready to go home. At the same time, I am enjoying myself very much. Every year, my company throws a user's conference. Earlier this year, I received a promotion to product manager and my career - life has changed a lot since then! For this conference, I have given 6 different presentations in 4 days. One in front of the entire group (~250 people). I have gotten reacquainted with customers and colleagues that I spent a lot of time back in the day before I had kids and stopped traveling. I have also met a lot of people that I have only spoken to over the phone for the last few years. I am very lucky to have some of the greatest people to work with. My new job as product manager means that I am responsible for determining the future road map for our product. It means that I have to listen to my customers and then decide what will be best for all of us. I have spent many years of my career taking the customer requirements - creating a design document and then working with programmers to develop the software to the requirement of the users, but I was never the one that decided which features to include. It is scary to be in this position, but it is also really exciting. I love working with people who have a passion for their jobs and are dedicated to protecting their employees and the environment. Also, the hotel is amazing! There are alligators in the pond outside of my room in a giant atrium. Crazy! I also found out today that I get to go to Germany the first week of November. I will be getting a new passport as soon as I go home.

The best part is that tomorrow my brother David and his family are coming from Tampa to visit me. I cannot wait to see them and meet their little baby Lucas for the first time. It is also wonderful that my parents flew out to CdA last weekend to spend this week with my family. It is much easier to relax and concentrate here when I know they are home taking care of my boys (including Tyler). Apparently, mom made them meatloaf and it was the best thing they had ever eaten. Definitely not one of the meals that I make; I still do not eat hamburger and have not since I was 11 years old. We don't usually have it at our house, but Tyler had a client that gave him 20 lbs as a thank you. It has been fun teasing him about what he will get next - chickens, pigs?

I will be home Friday - my boys better get ready for lots of hugs and kisses. I miss them!