2 posts tagged “amazing”

 
So far, I've got many fantastic memories to fill it with and I haven't even figured out where to go first... or when!
How fantastic to see my best friend and I appearing on the Vox/Six Apart corporate web site.

Yesterday and today were probably the best days of my life next to marrying my husband and the birth of my son. Yesterday I found out my post won the Vox World Tour. Yesterday I found out I was going around the world! And because I won, the person who invited me to Vox wins too! Even my best friend  Cate gets to go!

Cate, who would have thought? I mean honestly! This is insane! [This is good]

A year ago, Cate and I barely knew each other! We were just a couple of Starbucks girls. Who would have thought our friendship would amount to this wonderful surprise! Who would have thought because we met, became friends, and Cate invited me to Vox and I wrote that post, that we'd get the opportunity to go around the world!!?!

Last night I wanted to tell everyone in my 'hood.'
I wanted to shout it from the mountain blog-tops last night but I was on order to keep it to myself until the news was announced. It was killing me! I wanted to blog: "HOLY CRAP! I WON! OH MY DEAR LORD!" But I couldn't!

And, I must have checked TeamVox's blog a gazillion times before finally crashing into bed at 2am! I didn't sleep much last night. How does one sleep after being told they won something so fantastic!?

I remember quite clearly dreaming in text. That's when you know you've had too much computer time!

Yes, that's right. I was literally dreaming in words.

Text appeared in my dreams as events unfolded. It was bizarre and I often woke up freaking out from words being played out before my eyes in my sleep, only to fall asleep again with a big goofy smile on my face, cuddled up next to my husband with the thought on my mind "I did something good." More text dreams followed until I finally hit R.E.M. sleep sometime in the wee morning hours. So then, basically I overslept. I felt like my mind was about to rocket itself right out of my skull from all the excitement!

I woke up and laid in bed until 11am. I know what you're thinking - lazy slob! But... thankfully my husband took the day off from work so I could relax and enjoy this special day. I laid in bed for what seemed like an eternity asking myself:

"did this really happen? Is it real? Was I dreaming? Am I really going on these trips? For writing? For expressing myself? For believing and hoping?"

Yes, I am going! I'm going around the world! Holy cow!

The first thing I did after lying in bed in a dazed, happy stupor, was reach for my laptop. I logged on just a few short minutes after the announcement was made. The comments and emails began to flow and once again, my tears.

I was overwhelmed with people congratulating me, wishing me well, praising me and my post that won, sending me emails of personal congrats and advice on the cities I'll be visiting. I've even received offers from people letting me know if I need a digital camera or picture phone, I can have theirs! Their own personal equipment! All day long I've received comments and emails from all walks of life, sharing their happiness for me.

And yet, even in the midst of all this fantastic joy, I can't believe I won!
It's still not set in fully. I may be in shock for days! I may be in shock forever!

These kind of things don't happen to me!
Me? Kristen. Mom. Wife. ME! Suzie Homemaker herself!

How is it I won? What luck is this? Did I really write something so inspirational and meaningful to win a contest I had no idea I was going to win? I had completely dismissed the possibility I'd win after I clicked "save." To say I was surprised would be putting it way too lightly.

I was shocked! Floored! Stunned! Astounded! Astonished! Amazed and downright dumbfounded!

When Mena Trott, owner of Vox and Six Apart told me over the phone that I had won, I think I may have wet myself a little! Seriously, I was in complete shock. I didn't know what to say or do. I just know that I basically freaked out, flipped out and started bawling like a baby while at the same time laughing hysterically. You may have heard the recording.

I was so embarrassed! I hate my voice! I sound like a little girl or a "As if" Valley Girl. But I have to laugh each time I listen to it. I sounded so hysterical and also like someone who suspects a joke is being played on them! It was no joke, however, to my absolute astonishment.

I'm going to cherish this memory forever.

So, imagine this:

What I thought was a scheduled Vox Beta Tester Phone Survey actually turned out to be a little trick to tell me I was the winner of the Vox World Tour, and after I hung up the phone upon finding this amazing news out, I literally ran around my house for 10 minutes giggling, screaming, whooping, crying, jumping up and down, I may have farted even, laughing hysterically, and opening my front door and screaming to my dog on the porch...

"Oliver! I WON the contest!" The dog really wasn't impressed.

Then I called my husband.

Me:  Hello Matthew!
Matthew: Hi.. are you ok? You sound like you've been crying?
Me: I'M GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!! GUESS WHAT!
Me: You'll NEVER guess
Me: TRY to guess!

Matthew: Uhh... I don't know, what?
Me: I won the Vox World Tour!!!!!!! Remember me telling you about it!? I won! I WON!

Matthew: What? (long lause)
Matthew: Oh my GOD! (hysterical laughing)
Me: I KNOW! I won! (crying, laughing, peeing myself)

Matthew: Holy shit! WOW! You really ARE a good writer!
Me: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *squeal, giggle, scream*

Matthew: Wow! I'm in shock!
Me: ME TOO! I've been shaking since I found out! I think I peed myself a little bit!

After I hung up with my husband, I picked up my baby and swung him around in my arms. "Mommy won, mommy won, aren't you so proud of me?" He was laughing and giggling too. I then ran around the house, giggling and jumping some more. This was pretty much my entire night.

I think I said to my husband at least five thousand times last night, "I can't believe this!"

After I called my husband, I then called my father. He was absolutely stunned. He told me how proud he was of me and how he always knew I had a gift. He kept asking me:

"Is this real? Are you sure it's not a prank?"
"Wow! Around the world! Kristen, that's amazing! I can't believe this! I am so proud of you!"

To hear the joy and giddiness in my dad's voice was overwhelming. My heart filled up with joy and nearly burst. Honestly, I'd love to share more of what he said to me but it was so special, I want to keep it between just me and him. I want to hold his words close to my heart and never let them go.


Still, even after hours have passed since I found out... I just don't understand it! Why me? I don't win anything!

I'm just a stay-at-home mom of a 15 month old baby boy. My days consist of waking up, cooking breakfast, changing diapers, cleaning the floors and the bathroom, doing dishes, cleaning kitty litter pans, changing more diapers, making dinner, cleaning more, taking trash out and if I have time, walking around my suburb and blogging about my mundane daily activities as a housewife. I don't get it!

People have told me I have a way with words. But I'm just a 25 year old high school drop-out with no driver's license who likes to wear aprons, cook, clean and invent clever recipes. Sure, there's more to me than that, like the fact I am an artist and a good photographer but honestly, I don't see these things! I don't have super high confidence in myself. It's hard for me to believe in me!

Yet, I write. I continue to express myself and in doing so, I've inspired others. Vox has given me an outlet to voice my feelings, my fears, my demons and my triumphs. Vox has allowed me the opportunities to inspire others and encourage them, even though, I myself, have a hard time believing in my capabilities.

I'm just a housewife.

However, this housewife has learned something here. I really am a writer. I could make something of myself. I should. I ought to. People have told me and I should be listening. It's really time for me to stop ignoring the potential I have and honor the gift I've been given.

From Mena:

I'm really happy for you and I'm glad that we could give you this opportunity. Like I said, your entry really moved us all -- I actually teared up reading the part about Three Amigos and your dad. And from the reaction on Vox, people are so happy that you won this trip!

Winning the Vox World Tour has opened my eyes. When I go on this grand adventure, it won't be just for me. I will take pictures and record my feelings and experiences of this trip in detail so that every person I hold dear and every person on Vox who wanted to go can be a part of this adventure themselves.

I'll take my dad and take him on the adventure of his life. I'll show him how much his love and dedication has meant to me. We'll walk up the Eiffel Tower together, we'll stand together and hold hands as father and daughter at the Mona Lisa and ponder her meaning, as so many have. Then we'll travel the corridors of the Louvre and devour as much art as we can. We'll travel around the world together and bond as father and daughter and on the journey, forge some of the best memories and lessons learned a human being could obtain.

But most importantly, I will be going not just for myself and my father, but for everyone on Vox and all those who dream, to see the world and know upon my return, I'll finish my education and refine the talent I've been given.

I will write. I will shoot for the stars. I will inspire.

I just want to thank the creators of Vox and everyone who participates in the Vox community for their emails, comments and warm thoughts. I am overjoyed and overwhelmed by Vox and all of you who make up the fibers of it's wonderful fabric.

Seriously... It took me SIX tries to get the following video recorded. I went through hell! But I wanted to extend a personal thank you, despite my camera fear and absolute death-gripping anxiety of being "out there" for all to see!

I'm not trying to sound like a Hollywood brat on stage with my emmy, crying fake emotional tears of "first of all I want to Thank God." Seriously, gag me there. But really, I wanted to show my face and thank the people of TeamVox for picking my entry and all my friends and those out there on Vox for your comments and emails, congratulating me!

Thank you all.
I am so happy.