So, there it is… on the shelf!  “Christmas Ideas”, the special interest publication by Better Homes & Gardens (and Meredith Corp) which holds my first published work!

…inserting internal dialogue here…

Ok, Lori… breathe… go slow… don’t look like a crack head flipping through these pages… are your hands shaking?

I set the magazine down on the counter and took a deep breath.

Wait… I thought they wanted my wreath to potentially hang over that fireplace?   But that’s not my wreath.  

OK, well, maybe it’s inside… highlighted in another venue?  That’s ok.  I know I’m in here.  I got a check in the mail.  Hmm… where is my wreath?

I flipped through the pages frantically.  (I had already forgotten about that pep talk I just gave myself.)  Still… looking for the wreath I sent them.  Long story short, I didn’t find it.    Next, I looked through it backwards.  And then from the front to the back again… it has to be here somewhere… right?!

I eventually found one of my roses perched on the branch of a tree…  it had obviously been removed from my wreath.  OK, it was removed.  But I’m glad I found a rose.

Wait, is that my rose?  Am I confused?  

And I took another breath… and stood back… and there was my name in print.  My rose was shown on the tree.  And a diagram of how to make the rose was there, and my name next to it.

Phew…

So… they didn’t use the wreath?  Just the roses?  Yes, tucked nicely among branches of that Christmas tree that was so beautifully decorated with inspiring handcrafted ornaments.  OK… ok… fine, but they didn’t use the wreath. 

Hmph…

OK, enough.  They used the roses.  You got in the magazine!  Your Etsy shop is even listed in the back!  Get over it!  And go grab all the rest of the magazines on the shelf, you dummy!!!

While I was at the register checking out I bragged on myself… it had to be done.  Can you blame me?!

As promised, I stopped by my gal pal Debbie’s house on the way home with a few copies for her… but it wasn’t until I started to hand her the stack of magazines that I realized that the nicely decorated tree that my roses were in was actually on the COVER of the magazine!  And I shrieked!  I started to hand her the magazines, and then I took them back… and I shrieked!!!  And we jumped for you… and she had no idea why!!!

MY ROSES ARE ON THE COVER OF THE MAGAZINE!!!

What an amazing honor!

Seriously… I am blessed beyond words…