I'm A Winner

Ever since we saw the 2007 HGTV Dream Home special back in January, Jim has been convinced that we were going to win it. The fact that this year's home is a ski-in, ski-out home in Winter Park, CO just added to his desire. So we entered every day for a month. Faithfully. So sure of his win, he started planning how we'd move to CO and he'd find some job where he could work from home and spend his days skiing on the slopes of his beloved Winter Park.

Tonight was the moment of decision. HGTV announced the winner of this year's home. Now last year, HGTV brought the three finalists to the home and gave them each keys and the person with the key that opened the front door won the house. I just assumed they'd do the same thing this year. So I kept telling Jim that we didn't win this year because if we were even a finalist we would've been contacted already so we could be in Colorado ready to turn a key.

So at 9PM tonight we settled down in front of the TV to watch them crown this year's winner. Well, right away it was evident they weren't going to have the finalists at the house. Instead, they were secretly parked outside the winner's home ready to surprise them with the news. Could it be?!

Immediately, Jim started getting excited that we still had a chance. And the more he got excited the more I started to believe that maybe we did have a chance to win the 2007 HGTV Dream Home. So we sat and watched. And occasionally Jim would go to the front window to see if he could see any signs of a satellite truck out front. Then he started asking how he looked and if he should go change clothes.

Now I start getting a little nervous. Maybe there is a HGTV truck circling the neighborhood. So I casually get up and start tidying up a little. I sure wouldn't want HGTV coming into a house that was still showing the wear and tear of the weekend. I put some dishes away, threw some trash away, hung up coats...hey, the house has to look good for the cameras! Then, I check my hair in the reflection of the kitchen window while I'm washing some dishes. "Man, I could really use some makeup." But Jim assures me that the "hair and makeup" people will take care of me when they arrive.

As they get closer and closer to revealing the winner, I casually go check the window myself. "Hey, is that a van I see with its lights off down the street?"

With us sitting on the edge of our seats, and waiting for the knock at the door, the host is shown with a giant check and a bouquet of ballons. Where? Tennessee. Outside a restaurant. Where a very nice retired postmaster is eating dinner. He's the winner. He's surprised. He's thrilled. He's a multi-millionaire.

And me? Well, at least my house is picked up and ready for the week. I guess that still makes me a winner!

I'm A Winner

http://momnaction.blogspot.com/2007/03/we-won.html