Party all night, pajamas all the next day

I have started this post and stared at the screen and typed stuff out and deleted it for the last forty-five minutes and now it’s almost time for Downton Abbey to start and I need to pull it together and just write.

But sometimes there just aren’t words.

(This is usually where I will follow up with over 1,000 words and I don’t see why today is going to be any different.)

Friday will go down as one of the most surreal days of my life. Kind of like if you were walking through the forest and saw a unicorn run by. I am so appreciative and grateful to all of you for your support. And I know I keep saying that but it’s the truth. You bought the book and tweeted me pictures and sent encouraging comments and Facebook messages and I stayed in my pajamas all day Saturday and read every single one.

I cried and I laughed and sometimes I just put my head in between my knees because I was overwhelmed. I spent most of Friday talking VERY LOUDLY WITH A LOT OF ANIMATION because I had enough adrenaline in my body to kill a horse. Or at least a Shetland pony.

Then at church Sunday morning we were in the middle of worship and it hit me. Just the goodness and mercy of God who uses flawed people to fulfill his plans. And, y’all. I went right into what was too ugly to even call an ugly cry. Right there on the fourth row of church. Because why cry in the privacy of your home when you can look like a lunatic in public?

P kept asking, “Do you want a tissue?” and I kept shaking my head no because I didn’t want to call attention to myself. Yes, because no one could hear me snorting and snuffling like an elephant with a head cold.

So that’s where I am. Emotionally unstable. It’s my wheelhouse.

Pass the Kleenex.

On Friday morning I had a hair appointment at 9:00 a.m. so I spent two glorious hours getting my hair cut and colored and styled. Originally I was supposed to go earlier in the week but my hair stylist called to see if we could move the appointment to Friday which was perfect since my friends were throwing a little party for me that night and it’s always a score when I don’t have to fix my own hair. I can never achieve the volume that my hair stylist can. Mainly because she knows how to use a round brush like a magician and when I use the round brush it just results in me having to cut some of my hair to get the round brush out.

After my hair appointment I came home and sat on my couch with the freshly-washed slipcovers for about two hours until my friends Jen and Jamie showed up because I didn’t want to risk getting my hair messed up and this is San Antonio and there can be humidity. They drove in from Dallas for the party and we spent the next three hours laughing and talking and catching up on life and discussing important things like Jen’s growing-out-her-hair strategy post-chemo. My other friend Kristie stopped by and we had a champagne toast with cupcakes because OF COURSE.

And then it was time to get dressed for the party. This is the part where you’re about to subjected to a bunch of pictures which is the blog equivalent of HEY, DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE SLIDES FROM OUR TRIP TO THE GRAND CANYON?

I apologize.

Oh wait. Before I show pics from the party, I need to show you a few pictures my friend Debbi took of the book all around town Friday.

It made a stop for a chicken biscuit at Chick-Fil-A.

And then a late night stop with some construction workers who may or may not have agreed that their next tattoo should be the book cover. Which makes sense because this is totally my target demographic.

It also made the rounds to the large cowboy boots outside of North Star Mall.

God bless Texas.

And now for pictures from the party. Here’s Jesus with the invitation.

This is Gulley, Jamie and me before we left my house.

And Jen and me.

Here’s some green punch. Please notice that no lime sherbet was used in the making of the punch. It was just prosecco with green food coloring which is the classier cousin of the green beer we used to drink in college on St. Patrick’s Day.

(Side note: Is it just me or do you pronounce it “sherbert”? I’m shocked there is no second r. My life has been a lie.)

This is my sweet sister. I know I needed to tell you that because there is no family resemblance and otherwise you never would have known.

At some point someone handed me that green boa and so I wore it and it caused my neck to sweat the rest of the night but I left it on because it’s what Miss Piggy would do.

Mimi was there. Bops made an early appearance but left it to the girls after a while.

Honey made the trip in from Bryan.

And here’s one at the little place we stopped at on the way to the Grand Canyon.

Oh no, wait. That’s just me laughing like a hyena. I threw this one in because it sums up Gulley and me. She’s yelling something and I’m doubled over laughing. And my poor friend Debi is standing there like “What’s happening?”

Then this is my sweet birthday club group that threw the party.

It was such a fun night and I loved being surrounded by so many people I love. Gulley even had such a good time that she decided to end the night with a little baton twirling.

She also may have signed someone’s copy of the book with “Stay Sparkly! Love, Gulley”.

We actually really did party like rock stars or at least very unlike forty-one year old mothers because I didn’t get home until 2:30 a.m. The last time that happened probably involved green beer which means it was over twenty years ago.

And it explains why I spent all day Saturday in my pajamas. Until 5:00 p.m. At which time I showered and put on a new pair of pajamas. Then I went to bed at 8:30. Because when you’re my age and party like a rock star one night, you go to bed like a senior citizen after a Luby’s platter the next.

Lastly, (and then I’m going to shut up because, OH MY WORD, QUIT TYPING ALREADY) I will be signing books at the Barnes & Noble San Pedro location in San Antonio this Tuesday night, February 12th at 7:00 p.m.

(I realize the rodeo is also in town so if you have a chance to go eat a corn dog and watch some bull-riding you might want to do that instead. Also, I will sign as many books as you bring, but I’ve been told that they prefer if you buy at least one book in the store while you’re there since they’re allowing me to be there. I feel awkward telling you that, but I’d feel more awkward if I didn’t tell you up front.)

Okay. That’s it.

Except one last thank you from the bottom part of my heart and a promise that tomorrow is going to be about something that isn’t my book.

***I closed comments on Friday’s giveaway post. The winner of the book and Kendra Scott earrings according to Random.Org was:

1558: Colleen Mahoney

Congratulations, Colleen! And thank you all for entering!