I know what it means to miss New Orleans

There are only a few truly 'defining' moments in my life. The birth of my children, marrying my husband, and becoming a Mormon stand out in my mind. But right at the top of my 'list' would be my first trip to New Orleans, LA in February 2008. From the moment I could see the mighty Mississippi River from the airplane, my heart skipped a beat and I felt like I was coming home.

Stepping outside of the airport, drawing my first breath of New Orleans' air, feeling New Orleans' earth beneath my feet, and watching the people hustling and bustling by as I was engulfed with the city's metropolitan sounds swelling around me was surreal. Taking it all in was nearly impossible and I had to take pause before I motored to my hotel...I guess because I always said I'd make it to New Orleans, but I never actually believed I'd get there. During my brief but incredibly eventful stay, I took in as much as possible of the city I love.

I visited with my local musician friends, two of whom are a part of Harry Connick, Jr.'s big band. The entire time I was there, Harry was in town coordinating all of the music for the NBA All-Star Weekend, which was being held in New Orleans, coincidentally! Mardi Gras had just ended, a week or so earlier, so there were still beads hanging from the occasional tree branch or caught in a trolley track...a common sight for the locals, I'm sure, but super exciting for me ~ authentic MG beads!!! And I didn't even have to compromise my morals to obtain them!!! Heh.

Another friend of mine (who is in real estate) was kind enough to give me a tour of the FEMA disaster areas and Harry's Musicians' Village site he was building through Habitat for Humanity.

When it was time to say goodbye to my beloved city, I boarded the plane, quite depressed. I wasn't finished!! And just because I'd promised myself I'd come back, I was never certain it would actually happen.

Coming home was so bittersweet. As terrible as it sounds, I wasn't gone long enough to be homesick! Seeing the kids waiting for me at the airport was a delight, but coming back to Cincinnati's frigid negative wind chill factors and icy roads was definitely no fun.

As the song goes, "Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans?" ~~~~ YES, I certainly do!

The good news, no, great news is that I'm goin' back!!! March 3rd!!! And I can't wait. Dad is taking me along to EPICon 2010 (Electronic Publisher's Internet Connection's annual writer's convention. Along with meeting some very cool authors and networking for my Dad's publishing company, we'll be taking a cruise on the Steamboat Natchez and staying at the Sheraton on Canal Street. Sooooo nice! Thank you, Daddy, for taking me along...I could not have asked for a more amazing gift! This was truly straight from his heart. I just hope I can show him a good time there and give him even a taste of the city I love so much. I do know we will forever have these memories that are yet to come but will be simply fabulous!