CP-9 Chicago was a BLAST! Shout out to Suzann and Greta and others who helped.

Hello you wonderful Semi-Colons!!

Having just last night returned from my very first Colonpalooza, I can attest to the fact that attending this extravaganza was worth every minute and every penny. Meeting CSN members face to face is moving, humbling, exciting, precious, and priceless. The fun and laughs and bonding that happens is just what the doctor ordered.

Thank you first to Suzann for hosting and planning the weekend activities. Your hard work was evident and I appreciate everything you did to facilitate a memorable event.

Thank you to Greta for sending goodies and lending support to our fabulous group.

I carry home with me many moments that I will treasure. It's hard to describe the depth of feeling and connection that immediately happens when meeting members of my cyber CSN family...some of whom I have been corresponding with for many years.

Putting live bodies with the names and faces from these boards, making human contact, listening to stories and meeting family members just makes all the more real this communal experience we share here on CSN.

Meeting everyone was exceptional. Happiness. Hope. Fun. Bonding.

I don't want to leave anyone out, so I hope you'll understand when I say that meeting Lisa Rose and scouty Lisa for the first time after knowing them for years and years was the icing on the cake (carrot no sugar - HA!) for me and one that induced tears and the biggest grins to grace my face.

I hope that in the future if you haven't attended you will make the effort to go. I have watched and listened year to year the comments from the returnees expressing their appreciation for the weekend, and now I totally get it.

Ten years on these boards I have seen so many members come and go. I wish it had worked out to attend more because some of my dear CSN friends will never be able to attend again, and I have lost the opportunity to meet them on this side. So if I can encourage anyone to make the effort to at least attend one in your life, I hope you will.

The time passed too quickly actually and if I have one regret, it's that I didn't spend enough time one on one with some of you who attended. I don't spend much time on here anymore and just don't have the time to read many threads, unless I get a heads up from someone concerning a particular post on juicing or nutrition for example then I can actually participate in the discussion. So sitting and visiting with many of you whom I don't converse with much, really meant A LOT to me. I LOVED meeting you and hearing your stories. Thank you for sharing your lives.

This post doesn't do justice to the feelings I had this weekend. It's just hard to put into words.

peace, emily