Surprise for the Week

Tonight, I'm letting you in on a little secret...I was asked to speak in our Ward Relief Society (Homemaking Night) last week. But I thought it was something else...that's me-just not paying real attention to details these days! I really thought I was going to be sitting in a tiny primary class room-drawing on a chalk board.

I got a call from the Relief Society counselor in my ward-last Wednesday. She told me that one of our ward sisters would be moving out of the area-and they now needed someone to teach the class on Affordable Home Decorating. I imagined myself, sitting in a little classroom discussing paint colors and table cloths:) I figured that I was a useful solution to the cause-because I had been a designer in a craft store and just recently worked in a home decorating store also. So, their was NO panic in my voice-and I casually said, "Sure, no problem! I'd love to sit a talk about decorating". The counselor was pleasantly surprised (I could hear the surprise in her voice-"You will??? Oh thank you- thank you!!". I thought...Hmm?...that was odd. No big deal.

The closer the day came (one week later), the more I put on my thinking cap, and began to wonder-what can  I share with these sisters on home decorating? So, I began to surf the internet. I found some awesome links to share and some very creative ideas started to form. I began to focus on popular colors, what is all the rage right now for sprucing up a person's home, and how can I save a few dollars on decorating? Because you and I are regular bloggers...I know that if I list a sight to see over the internet...you will just hit the link and *pop*, your in another window looking at some other bloggers ideas-easy lesson to teach. That's the magic of our little world here. Not so easy to explain when I'm standing in front of a room full of ladies-who are NOT regular bloggers. That became my challenge last Wednesday Night. Boy-was I in for a surprise...

I packed all my great ideas in a rubber maid bucket, brushed my teeth-and fluffed my hair. No need to dress-up...I was attending Homemaking. I had worn jeans and t-shirt to tons of these nights before.Then at six thirty last Wednesday night-I climbed in my car-and drove over to my ward chapel. I was greeted by the happy counselor-who had called me. She asked if I needed help getting in the door. I lugged my box up the stairs and thought...that was so sweet of her! She is just the kindest lady ever:) Then, I noticed that she had a dress on...and when we walked into the cultural hall-the tables were all decked out for a Valentines Dinner. It all looked so fancy and there was a buffet dinner waiting. Several sisters asked if I needed anything-they all had dresses on, and were carrying in food to share. I thought to myself, I think I missed the memo on who the main speaker was tonight! Who is coming to speak at this dinner??? As I tried to pick a table to sit at, my mom came over to ask if I was ready for tonight? I looked around and said "Why?"-she pointed out that I WAS the main speaker-and I needed to sit near the podium....WHAT??? That was the moment-that I realized I was suppose to be dressed up- and ready to speak to a "gym room" full of ward sisters. This is pretty much what nightmares are made of-in my little world!

  But because I have a certain sense of dignity...I didn't start hyper-ventilating or sweating profusely.  My eyes did grow bigger-as I watched the room fill with sisters coming in to eat dinner together. I started counting heads, and then I pointed out that I only had a few hand-outs....and maybe I needed MORE. My wonderful friend/visiting teaching partner, Jane-volunteered to go make more copies in the library. I wondered if she could hear my heart POUNDING away. I wasn't going to pass out from sheer fright-but I was wondering how I would pull the whole night off??    *Everyone already had a small idea that I was not really ready-I was wearing jeans and a t-shirt-and my son's hoodie!!! "AHHHHHHH-get me out of here!!!"-was what I wanted to say, but I thought to myself, "What do I have to lose-or gain? People already know that fashion is not the top of my list during the day. I'm usually thrilled if I have clean clothes that match:)

I was so happy to share my family portraits that we just had done this past week also (My friend, Liz has a blog to show the awesome work she's done). I was able show off the fruit arrangement that I re-created from work. (The one at work sold for a very expensive price)...I made a knock-off for under twenty dollars (the pieces were from the dollar store and the vase was on sale from my job for half off!). I also showed them how Home Depot has stair railings and chair legs-that we can use to make candle stick holders-for way cheap also. I talked about colors and Feng Shui decorating. I asked if anyone was as serious as I was about blogging...and I think I saw one or two hands go up:) So, I shared some great web sites that I love to read-http://thepaintedhome.blogspot.com/ and another favorite spot is...My Re-Purposed Life. I think that  these ladies that blog (and share their awesome idea) are just the very best decorators ever!! 

So, I survived the whole night because of the above mentioned blogs. My life can go on now... I did it!!!!! (I LOVE BLOGGING!!!!!!♥) *I'll share another little secret with you later on this week...Goodnight!