A Virtual Mother's Day Breakfast!

This time of year is usually my busiest for me in my speaking life. So many churches hold Mother's Day-style banquets and breakfasts, and it has been a privilege to be invited to speak at them. I've met many friends at events like these, and it was a bit sad to think about not getting to do that this year.

Before quarantine days hit, I'd been invited to speak at a Mother's Day breakfast for the church I went to back in my single days in Marion. I've spoken at their breakfast before (a couple of times, actually) and was really looking forward to going back to see all my friends again. Since we didn't plan to host Mommapalooza, we also planned to stay and worship with them...and then...quarantine.

I kept the event on my calendar, but I figured it would be canceled along with the retreat I was supposed to speak at back in March. But it wasn't! 

They ended up contacting me to see if I'd be willing to speak via Zoom, and I said yes! This was a first for me, and I was so curious to see how it would go. They actually moved the event to Saturday, rather than having it on Mother's Day, and they encouraged husbands and kids to make breakfast for the moms (something they would normally have provided at the church) to enjoy during the Zoom event. 

Ryan was at work during my speaking hours, so I was on my own for documentation. Everything about every angle is not great, but I can still show you what a Zoom speaking event looked like!

Before I get to that, though, can we just stop to appreciate that I dyed my roots, put on an entire real outfit (not just the top half) and did makeup and jewelry and the whole bit? I barely recognized my own self! Also...I do not think I will EVER get the hang of a mirror selfie. You do not even want to know how many attempts it took to get this one. Good night, Irene. 

I logged on to Zoom, and they had a whole screen for the event and everything! So official. 

This was my setup in my office. I propped up the laptop so they weren't getting the under-the-chin view. No one needs that. :) Water? Check. Coffee? Check. Notes? Check. 

Since I used to go to this church, I knew almost all the people on the Zoom call, and it was so much fun to see them again! I was so proud of them for doing a creative, outside-the-box event. They even had some fun conversation games at the beginning. They also had little gifts for all the moms that they would distribute after the fact. 

They liked my book background. After I finished speaking, I found a chat question waiting for me asking if the book background was virtual or real. Oh, it's real! 

I did manage to grab a video clip while I spoke (to use in our one-second-per-day video documentation of the year) so I took a still photo of that. That was the best I could do on my own for photos of speaking!

They were so very kind and receptive, and it was certainly the quietest audience I've ever had! (They all muted their mics.) 

Thanks so much for having me at your breakfast, friends! And thanks for pushing ahead to make this event possible! I love it that you did so!