The Big O!

Bet I caught your attention with that title! :) I love Oprah and have watched her for some time. I am not a faithful, daily watcher of her program, but I do like to watch it when I get the chance. I record it on our DVR and watch the ones that interest me. I have always wanted to go to her show, but just never knew how to get tickets. This past July TW and I celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary and he got us four tickets to the show. AWESOME! I was so excited to be going! Much thought and preparation went into this less than 24 hour excursion to Chicago. The lady I booked the tickets through, who works for Oprah, said not to wear beige or white because it doesn't show up well on camera. I had also heard to wear bright colors. One gal told me that someone she knew went to the show and wore a really cute, bright colored outfit and the producers whisked her away and down to the front. So, my search began for the perfect outfit. Now why is it that when you are out at a store not really needing a new outfit you see tons of things you like, but when you go out shopping for a specific event you can't seem to find a dang thing. Well, maybe this only happens to me, but it yet again happened the day I set aside for finding my "Oprah outfit." No luck! I found TW a new, stylin shirt but nothing for me. So, later in the week I decided to visit one of my favorite little boutiques in town. I don't shop here as often as I would like because it tends to be pricey, but I figured for Oprah I could go all out. The owner of the store was in and she helped me pick out a few things to try on. I found a dress that I loved and it wasn't near as much as I thought I would have to spend. Later this same day I went to pick up a car for TW to test drive so the bag with the dress in it was with me in the car we were test driving. Later in the evening TW took that car back and ended up putting the bag with my new dress in it down into my daughter's dance bag in my car. Are you following me here? This was on a Thursday. The next morning I woke up with strep throat really bad and didn't think about the dress until Tuesday, the night I was leaving for Chicago. It was time for me to buy some shoes and jewelry to go with the dress so that I could pack up and leave town. Where is the dress??? It was no where to be found. I should also back up to mention that on the Thursday I bought the dress and the Friday I was sick we were getting new carpet installed so our house was a disaster zone. So really this dress could be anywhere! I was frustrated because I knew days or even months later I would find this dress, but at the moment when I really needed it I couldn't find it. So, back to the shop to buy another one. I got the dress then headed to find shoes and jewelry. Pulled in the driveway at 6:00pm ready to pack and head out the door by 6:30pm. We had Parent Preview night at AAP's school that night and then we headed to the airport to fly to Chicago. I invited two of my best friends to go with us, so they met us at the airport. Thanks to Big Daddy (my Dad) we flew on my parents' plane to Chicago. We got in about 10:30, ordered room service, which cost an ungodly amount of money, and went to bed by midnight. Up at 5:15am to get ready for the big morning! We all got dressed in our "Oprah outfits" and headed to the show. After waiting on long while in a waiting area our numbers were called to go be seated in the studio. K and L, my friends, got down the stairs before TW and I. We got stuck behind an older, bigger lady who took a while to get down. The minute K and L entered the studio the producers pointed to them and wanted them in the front row. K had on a really bright shirt and they looked cute of course. The producer asked how many were in their party and they said four, but then it took forever for TW and I to get down there. So, by the time we got to them there were only two seats left in the front and then two off to the left but still in the lower section. So, K and L were seated in the front and TW and I off to the left. K and L graciously switched us seats. Something I never considered or expected at all! It was so sweet of them, see why they are two of my bestest friends (they are very thoughtful)! So, TW and I ended up sitting in the very front row and we were probably six feet away from Oprah! They announce the topic and it wasn't one that I was particularly interested in...transgender kids. I was hoping for "Oprah's favorite things" of course, or a really cool celebrity, but oh well. It ended up being thought provoking to say the least. The weird thing was there wasn't like any grand entrance. Instead the audience coordinator was talking to us and then all the sudden she says, "She's on her way" and we all stand up in anticipation of her. We were never prompted to clap or yell or anything. She walks out and addresses us, the audience, and then goes right into the show. First impression, I hate to say, Wow she looks really bad. Her eyes were really swollen and she had big bags under her eyes. It looked like her and Stedman had been up all night or something. I wondered if she looked like this everyday and the camera does wonders, or what the deal was. Today when I watched the season opener she looked great, so we will see when our show airs what she looks like on this side of the camera. Best part of the trip...Oprah told me, "Love the shoes!" Oh yeah! Wow, probably one of the best compliments I have ever received. WOW! That puffed me up a little bit. :) There was also a point during one of the commercial breaks where her and I had an interaction. Super cool! How will I ever repay K and L??? When the show was over she spoke to the audience for a couple of minutes and as quickly as she came out she was gone. AWESOME experience, I would do it again in a heartbeat. We then headed to lunch and then back to the airport to fly home. We were gone less than 24 hours. Oh yeah, I was cleaning the girls' room...I found my dress pushed down inside of AKP's dance bag!