Heart to Home Conference: Touring Duck Places :)
I am not exactly sure how many posts I will write about my time at the 2015 Heart to Home Women’s Conference. I have a lot I want to discuss so please bear with me.
When Clay shared THIS post, it made an opportunity become a reality. As you have read or about to read his post, this past year has not been easy. My dad used to tell me that no home was created for two families. I believed him especially during a situation where our house was used for more than one family. However, is that really Biblical? Are we to close our doors to a family in need? I don’t think so. I’m sure certain situations and circumstances apply, but I digress. When Clay received orders for another assignment overseas, we decided the kids and I would also leave Washington and move in with my parents in West Virginia during his tour. At the time, it made sense. We owned property near my parents’ house and we had planned to build our forever home there.
The Army has taught me a lot of things. One of those things that is forever etched in my mind is “The thing that will never change is that things will always change.” Shortly after the kids and I arrived in West Virginia, I realized this decision was a mistake. We love my parents and my parents love us, but living under one roof with 3 kids proved to be very difficult. The kids and I were used to one way while my parents another. I knew there would be adjustments. I didn’t realize there would be no give. I’ll stop there. I won’t get into the specifics because we really do love each other and we have forgiven a lot. I was overwhelmed with trying to juggle this adjustment, maintaining some type of schedule with the kids and doing it all on my own while Clay was gone. I tried to make the best of a bad situation. I signed the kids up for activities, we tried field trips, we planned for events that would get the boys out often. Basically, I tried to plan for things that could keep me and the boys busy. Besides, I grew up there and I knew people. I had plenty of opportunities, right? Wrong.
The next step was to sink myself into church. Well, that didn’t work out neither. I will share more on this topic later but looking back (hindsight is always 20/20), perhaps we should have stayed in Washington where we were under the headship of a Godly Pastor and wonderful church fellowship. Unfortunately, it was too late to turn back. We could only look forward.
As Clay mentioned in his post for the contest, we were also attacked. The results of these attacks was my kids living in fear and $2ooo worth of damages to my new car. It seemed I had reached a breaking point. It was time to prayerfully seek God and His will on what do to. In the end that meant us moving. We signed for our house in December but I was drained by this point.
I wasn’t getting the spiritual leadership that I needed and craved from a church. I was literally drained when I got to the Heart to Home Conference. Don’t get me wrong, I was so excited and feeling so blessed, but mentally I was drained. I can not express in words how much relief I felt just driving down to Monroe!
After the relief came the excitement. I was thinking to myself, “I AM GOING TO MEET THE DUCK DYNASTY LADIES and maybe some of the guys!!!” HOW EXCITING!
We began the morning events with a tour of the Duck Commander! That was so wonderful!
I got to see where Duck Commander started in the little shed at Phil and Miss Kay’s house.
They took us all around the Duck Commander warehouse. It was neat getting to see where everything happens on the show. I was able to tour Willie’s Office, where they play basketball, where the duck calls are made, and the conference room! ALL of it was just wonderful! I was starting to feel relaxed….
(Willie’s Office)
(In the Office of DuckCommander)
(Flat Phil on a wall:))
(Inside the Warehouse which is saw on TV all the time)
(For those who regularly watch the show, this is the basketball hoop that is played all the time by the Robertson’s. Sadie is really good at basketball and plays for the Christian School she attends.)
(Johnny Howard-Korie Robertson’s Dad. He gave me the tour)
(Inside the Duck Call room. This is also seen on the show ALL the time. The desk is where Jase sits)
(Moving further in is where you always see Godwin, Si, and Martin)
(This young man was making Duck Calls. He has worked for Duck Commander for 2 years he said. I tried so hard to get a video of him testing out the calls but couldn’t. lol)
(The pink Duck Calls are for the American Cancer Society. It was so neat to see those there!)
(Reeds and such used to make the calls)
(Really neat painting of Ducks)
(Heading inside the conference room. Another famous site from the show:))
You may also be interested in another post about the conference HERE. I hope you come back to see what happened next on my trip! Subscribe so you don’t miss a thing!
In Christ,
Laura
***Special thanks to Family Christian, Joneal Kirby and Heart to Home Ministries for this chance***
