Type A Mom

… at almost the last minute, I booked my flight for Type A Mom and the Bloganthropy awards last weekend.  I wasn’t going to go to this blogging conference (now actually called Type A Parent and nicknamed #TypeACon on Twitter), since it was two flights away and my arm swells when I fly (due to my lymphedema – you can read about it on the tab above if you’re curious), but I was encouraged to go and I’m overall very glad that I did.

After I finished the panel at the Low Cost Planetary Missions 9 Conference, I had dinner with my husband and kids and headed to the airport.  Two short flights (well, ok, the second was anything BUT short! 2.5 hours gate-to-gate from Charlotte to Asheville!) later and I was on the ground in Asheville, walking out into the cool night air to find … nothing.

No taxis.

No buses.

Nothing.

I had connected with another blogger on the plane, thanks to Twitter and a long on-runway delay, and we quickly called a taxi to take us to the conference hotel.  Now you’d think this would be the boring part of the story, but then again, you’ve probably never been in an SUV taxi with black light, dance music, and a disco ball — but only two working seatbelts and curvy mountain roads.

Bygones.

I arrived at the conference and bunked in with roomies C.Mom and TechSavvyMama, only to oversleep justalittlebit the next morning, arriving in time to hear Patti Digh, an inspiring speaker whose life changed when her father found out he just had 37 days to live.  Her session was followed by several others, but the highlight of the day for me was table-hopping to hug the necks of friends far and near who I love but don’t get to see nearly often enough!  I had such a great time with TechSavvyMama Leticia, C.Mom Elena, TeachMama Amy, Jessica/Kikarose, Justice Fergie, BetterinBulk Lolli, Modern Mami Melanie, a new friend from the Marble Jar, and so many others.

There are pictures — somewhere.  I’ll pull them together if I can — I was unfortunately cameraless.  But this is one that I need to show you, because …

I won!

On Friday night, I was given the Bloganthropy Award, an award which “recognizes women bloggers who have made a difference by using social media effectively to support a good cause.”  I’d say we’ve done that here, right?  Thanks to all of you for all your work spreading the news about inflammatory breast cancer, the breast cancer that kills without a lump, about lymphedema and the new program that provides FREE lymphedema sleeves to breast cancer survivors who can’t afford them, and for joining — and writing about — the Avon/Love Army of Women — we have made a difference.

A real difference.

And last Friday night, we won an award.

I accepted it happily, hugging Katherine Stone from Postpartum Progress, presenter and 2010 winner, and Debbie Bookstaber, Bloganthropy Co-Founder.

There was a giant check, which they tried to FedEx me afterwards (I’m happy with the real, small, spendable one, thank you!).

There was laughter and cheering, and then, when I got to speak about my cause for a moment, there were tears.

Because I accepted this award not just for myself, but for all of your work too, and in honor of the 20-or-so writers at Mothers With Cancer, the blog that opens the curtains that hide cancer patients and their joys, their struggles, their fears, and their families, letting their light and their love and their lives shine through, even after we are gone.

This was a big moment for me.  Thanks for sharing it with me that Friday, Type A Mom, and for sharing it here with me today on the blog.

You have made a difference.

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