Hi all, Thank you so much for making my Hoop Convergence amazing and for being positive beautiful lights. I keep wanting to write a blog post about this experience but I find taking it all on in one chunk overwhelming. So, instead, I am creating a thread for recording happy memories. This way I (and you, if you like) can come back and add memories as they pop up. My friend Junebug did this once after one of our excursions and it was a fun way to relive everything.

Here are a few of my many happy memories in no particular order:

- Getting to room with Revolva, AliCat, Shakti, Spiral and Kara Maia. Talk about a magical room! This was the best camp ever!!!!

- Greeting Urska when she arrived and her saying, "I'm so glad to meet you! I'm your hoop student from Slovenia!" You could have knocked me over with a feather! I remember telling her about Convergence and inviting her and she says she wrote me to say she was coming but I still haven't found that letter so it was a total surprise and a reminder that the world is getting smaller every day.

- Walking the labyrinth with Jaguar Mary and talking about changing the world through service and hearing about her adventures traveling the world with one of my poi heroes, Nick Woolsey.

- Walking through the woods with AliCat heading toward an impromptu jam, then hearing singing in the woods and following the angel voices to find Kelly Timco and her cabin mates singing and playing on their front porch.

- Getting that partner poi move with AliCat that I'd seen on a youtube video and sent her saying, "We should learn this!" Well, she learned it and then we did it. It needs work but we did it! (Ya'll just wait til next year.)

- Coming out of the labyrinth with Jaguar Mary and seeing Anah and AliCat and several other hoopers doing choreographed hoop routines IN CANOES on the lake!!! (I wish we'd been close enough to film it. It was magical.)

- Another walk in the labyrinth, this one late night (after the ball at about 4 am) by the light of the full moon with London. I walked it twice and then, when we were returning to the cabin, it started to sprinkle and it was wonderful.

- Saying goodbye to Revolva and seeing tears in her eyes, which brought tears to my eyes. I love you Woman!!!

- Watching all the eagles soar together in AlleyOop's Native Hoopdance workshop.

- Waking up to Stefan's sweet face beside my bunk handing me a steaming hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning. That's it! He was crushable before but now I am completely smitten.

- Dancing with my flamenco fan at the ball. I was feeling so sassy that night.

- Jewels recognizing me at the fire on the fire night. I was so touched by that. I didn't realize she was going to do it (though I should have figured it out after Ali, Spiral and Revolva all addressed the circle). Still, it felt good and I'm grateful.

- Passing the fire to the first time fire hoopers. I remember everyone I've ever passed the fire to and it is a total honor for me. Here are the words I spoke to each person, "Fire is the element that changes matter from one form to another faster than any other. Use this fire to transform anything in your life you are ready to transform, to release anything you are ready to release, and to create a space for new things to come to you. Your life will never be the same. May you create a place for bright beautiful blessings."

- More than passing the flame, seeing the face and experiencing the first fire dance of so many beautiful people. Those faces will always stay with me.

- Learning my first new move from Malcolm on the very first night of our arrival. It's still one of my favorites from the whole weekend.

- Malcolm's class and his amazing way of encouraging us to find our own moves, rather than him passing on moves. I love how he discouraged us from doing any move that we already knew!

- Learning not one but two new ways to spin off a hoop so that no fuel pollutes the ground!!!

- The roller coaster of Love at the ball! (Thanks Marria and Alicia!)

- Scott's sweet and gentle omnipresence. So many things flowed smoothly because of Scott! It was also a delightful opportunity to pass more time with him and observe the sweet love he and Jewels have together.

- Hugging Kayia, with whom I shared last Convergence and feeling our newest hooper in her belly!

- Learning more cool tricks in Stefan's class than I can even remember. And I so appreciated how he reviewed them all at the end, which helped me at least remember a few more than I would have.

- Spinning hoops on my leg with Revolva! That trick about leaning against the wall to build strength and stamina was a real a-ha moment for me.

- Wendy showing me the moves I missed at the beginning of Stefan's class and then asking me to come to Cincinnati to teach some hoop workshops! I am so doing that! Yay!!!

- Walking through the shady woods on a gorgeous trail talking to my mom on the cell phone on Mother's Day. I love her!!!!

- Learning about sacred geometry with Kara Maia, both in our room and in her awesome class. I adore my love activators and I've used those lessons so many times already!

- Spinning through the chakras with Jewels. That class was a delight in ways I can't really articulate.

- Joceyln's affirmations, meditations and prayers. Her first fire hoop was also stunning and beautiful.

- Spiral dancing in the circle in her beautiful flamenco skirt. She is one of my original hoop inspirations and I am always blown away by her grace and beauty.

- Anah teaching AliCat and I to partner hoop! We've been dabbling in that for years but we never had a breakthrough til Anah's workshop.

- Meeting Fran, Anah's mom. She is so cool!!!

- Sharing mother's day with Anah's mom and meeting Spiral's mom too.

- That class of delicious sparkling wine with Jewels. (Jewels I just bought another bottle of that wine. Thank you for turning me on to it.)

- AliCat singing by the fire.

- Finally getting to share some time with Kelly Timco!

- Rich's sweet compliment about how he'd never seen anyone hoop and poi together with grace before.

- Stefan's sweet compliment about my teaching! (I was struck dumb by it and I didn't even respond but it is one of my favorite memories.)

- Learning how to FINALLY do some of those cool pop moves that Rich does! He's a great teacher and his class was wonderful.

- Watching Brecken dance in the lodge on the very first night.

- Finally meeting Rainbow Michael.

- That first night in the lodge when 10-15 people were all spinning minis at the same time!

- Quinoa and Spinach casserole! (They gave me the recipe! The folks at the dining hall are so kind, conscious and, well, just plain wonderful.)

- Getting dressed for the ball with my roomies.

- Teaching the Fire Safety workshop and thinking no one was going to come because we'd had to move the time and then having so many people come and truly participate and be present.

- Looking out over the students in my hand and arm technique playshop and watching them really getting and looking beautiful doing those moves.

- Meeting so many people who I've known from Tribe and YouTube but whom I'd never met in real life before.

- Watching Stefan pass the flame to Bex, his hoop student and someone who was clearly very moved by the experience.

- My friend Eric showing up to take photos! He's an amazing photographer and I can't wait to see his photos. (He's in Guatamala now but we should get to see them shortly after his return.)

- Spiral's cool workshop on integrating intention and effort.

- Having so many people ask after my bird, Mulder. By name!!! I wish he'd come. He'd have loved it.

- Getting to experience so many first time Convergers having the experience I had last year. (It starts with intimidation and anxiety then moves to acceptance and joy followed by shining and sharing!)

- Watching Revolva and AlleyOop both do their multiple hoop brilliance! It is so cool to get to hang with people who could be in a Cirque show!!!

- Late night discussions on the front porch.

- Watching London, who didn't know I (and apparently AliCat also) was watching her as she walked among the chickens wearing her multiple hoops behind her like a magnificent peacock tail.

- Blowing blessing bubbles.

- Dancing with Melanie at the ball and not even recognizing her in her wig!!!

- Drinking champagne with the girls during the ball! (Next year, must bring more champagne!)

This list goes on and on. I know this is not even close to all but I have to run. I'll come back and post more and I hope you will too! Again, thank you everyone. It would not have been the same without each and every one of you.