It is 4 days later...

Since I wrote last, my mug has been plastered across the front page of our local newspaper:

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/2007/06/16/mission_beanie

I've answered 100 or so emails. Again, if you haven't heard from me, you will. I'm a bit bottle-necked on the emails.

And I went camping for the weekend. I haven't been camping for about 20 years, but Jeff loaned me his laptop with Aircard, so that I could still be connected to civilization, and I went out, as planned.

This morning found me lounging around in a folding chair, with dusty feet and yesterday's same old sweaty shorts. No makeup, of course, and having no hair dryer or curling iron for the weekend, looking pretty much like this:


Only with glasses. And, I'll just say it, no bra. I mean, I was L-O-U-N-G-I-N-G-G-G-G.

It was a PERFECT time, then, to get a phone call from Jeff, informing me that WCIA Channel 3 wanted to interview us, early in the afternoon.

I had 2 hours to get back in to town and no time to stop at home. I had a touch of makeup in my bag, and the best outfit I could scrap together from my backpack. I left town like a bat out of hell, screeched into a Walmart, grabbed an eyeliner pencil and a curling iron, and darted to my Mom's house, to take the world's fastest shower. There are no electrical outlets in my mom's bathroom, so I did my hair in the living room, (no mirror), and we raced back out the door, to tv land at Jeff and Michelle's house.

How exciting! A real, live TV announcer, and a real live camera man!


For the record, I have run from such scenes my entire life. Crews on the streets have asked me "do you mind if we ask you a few questions?" GAH! NO! Run, run, run.

I got cotton mouth the minute I figured out that I'd really have to talk. Dustin and Emily ran for gum for me to gnaw on till interview time. But I did it. I don't know what I said. I didn't feel particularly articulate, and, at the end, when the Matt asked me "How does it feel to be doing something for your son in Iraq?," my answer caught in my throat and I teared up. If I could do it over, I'd say,

"It feels good to do anything."

Jeff had his turn, I think he was more comfortable in the bright lights than I was.


And while Emily preferred not to talk, Dustin did a great job, and I got all choked up all over again. God. Don't you wish Brian could see this?!!


After the crew left, we went outside and spilled out 600 beanies that Jeff picked up from one donor in Ogden, just to sort through them a bit. We read through the names, and laughed at a lot of them. Here's Emily, Michelle, and Dustin, doing some sorting:


And we hooted and hollered when Jeff matched these two up:

This one's for you Brian!

In summary,

• This is really taking off. You have stepped up to the plate in more and bigger ways than I ever expected.
• A microphone in your face does not relax you.
• Never, EVER go anywhere without your makeup.

P.S. The website www.toys-for-troops.com has been taken over by professionals, and should be up tomorrow afternoon, sometime. Can't you just hardly wait?