I’m not ready to write my Blissdom recap yet – seems to close, the moments are still so fresh, and yet… if I write them down, it means it’s all over. I’m not ready for that yet.

This afternoon, Pumpkin came home from school and she said to me, “Mommy, everyone has a bucket. Even dogs have buckets.”

And I was like, “HUH? Buckets whut?” (Translated: “Pumpkin, whatever do you mean by this ‘bucket’ of which you speak?”)

“We all have a bucket. Sometimes people put drips in our bucket, sometimes people take drips out of our bucket. We don’t want our bucket to be empty because that would be sad.”

Ah. Buckets.

My bucket has drips in it. Many drips. Blissdom was big this year – bigger than last year – and while I knew that going in, I didn’t really GRASP the scope of that – just how that increase would translate to numbers of people.

And yet…

So many moments translated to drips in my bucket. The flashmob? Like whoa. That’s maybe ten drips? Or a thousand (let’s face it, drips are small and buckets are big and that flashmob was such an incredible moment). A core group of us “Mobsketeers” had been planning that moment for months – to see it all come together and be such a MOMENT for so many people? It was humbling and awesome. Drip. Drip.

Connecting with friends – in conversation, on the dance floor. Drip.

Meeting new people. Bonding so quickly that my heart hurt to say goodbye. Drip.

Late nights, early mornings and hugs whenever you wanted one? Drip.

Pretty pink drinks (uh, far too many drips) and sitting with an overpriced cappuccino alone on a bench in the “biodome”? Drip. Drip. Drip.

Mat Kearney. Drip. Chris Mann. Drip. Michelle Branch. Crystal Bowersox. Drip. Drip.

Vishnu, our room’s mascot.

Ugly hotel carpet.

Brene’ Brown’s declaration that you just need two friends who will “help you hide a body”.

Drip. Giggle. Drip.

There’s so much more to say. There is. And other people are saying it right now. And in a few days, I’ll have found my words and maybe I’ll add them to the chorus.

But for now? My bucket is full.

Flashmob group picture lovingly borrowed from @Sthrnfairytale

A week from now, right about now, I should be in a plane touching down in Nashville where I will spend several days in the arms of bliss, learning fun stuff, and spending time with friends – both treasured and new. And it’s funny how, despite the miles between us and the infrequency of times when we’re able to get together how we can walk into a room after several months and pick up where we left off, pick up as if there weren’t hundreds of miles separating us.

The internet is kind of funny that way. By funny, I mean, totally awesome.

I have loved having the opportunity to meet people I might not have otherwise, and to soak in the awesomeness of people who radiate talent, kindness, humor – people who are REAL.

It’s what gets me – me who is phobic about airplanes – on an airplane even though I am petrified and spend most of the flight in a panicked death-grip-on-the-arm-rest sweat. It’s worth it.

The memories of laughing until I cry, eating phenomenal food (UM, hello? My mouth still remembers barbecue pork sandwiches on buttermilk biscuits), sharing my drink tickets, and of course, my legendary hotel insomnia – they carry me from one year to the next.

And I’m ready.

Time for some new memories. See y’all next week.