All My Famous Friends

Top Row: Kylie, Justine, Sharlee, Johnna, Melissa, Courtney, Michelle and Kathy; Bottom Row: Me, Melonie, Brooke, Emily and Darlene

So today I got to spend some time at the Deseret Book store at University Mall and celebrate the release of the fantabulous Mother in Me, a book of essays and poetry about motherhood written by the Segullah gang. (See sidebar, then click on it and buy one if you haven't already. Trust me. It's wonderful.)

And I know you've all heard my lament . . . how I joined the gang too late to write an essay for the book . . . but it really was so much fun to be able to be there and support them. It was like I got all the benefits of being proud without having to be nervous. I helped out by introducing each illustrious reader (the contributing authors read poems or excerpts of their essays) and handing out raffle prizes, but mostly I got to walk around and bask in their goodness and feel swellings of gratitude in my bosom. Hopefully the swellings were relatively inconspicuous.

The turnout was great--really, really great--and I think DB was surprised. But I wasn't, primarily because the royalties that day were going to the NieNie fund (see sidebar again) and Stephanie's sister, Courtney of CJane fame, was there signing books. I think she has at least 1,000 people who've never met her who consider her their best friend, so coming to the reading was a more socially acceptable way than stalking for some of those best friends to meet her in the flesh. And she was lovely and gracious and smelled really good when I hugged her.

But many books were sold, and we even got a mention on the news. You can see the video here.

And here are some more pics, taken with the camera I'm disliking more and more each dayt:


Captain K, also known as Kathryn Lynard Soper, also known as Kathy--head honcho and dear friend


My lovelies, all in a row


And more loveliness . . .


Courtney's baby, the Chief, whose picture is included not because he's a contributing author, but because he's so cute. That head is so dang kissable.


Courtney at the NieNie table. (The Segullah ladies made these beautiful origami birds that people could affix notes to. To which people could affix notes? Anyway. It was a great idea and they'll be used to decorate Stephanie's hospital room.)

See? Doesn't that look like it was fun?

Then when I came home I got to go to the adult session of Stake Conference and listen to Elder Marcos A. Aidukaitis. (He spoke in the Saturday session of General Conference). Elder Robert D. Hales was supposed to speak, but he got sick, and I have to admit I was a little disappointed at first. But Elder Aidukaitis was GREAT. Spoke completely off the cuff, and he was passionate, moving, and hilarious. I'm going to have to go back and read his conference talk now that I've seen him "live," as it were.

So that's been my day. (That and soccer and a Scout pow wow and Wyatt drawing in marker on the desk in the kitchen and my parents coming over to babysit--thanks parents!--and now, silence and the comforting click of my fingers on the keyboard.)