I got an email yesterday from the powers that be at the Walt Disney World Mom’s Panel selection committee (is that what they are called??).  We had expected to find out by the end of this week if we would be chosen for the panel, but this email asked us for a time and phone number where we could be reached today – Wednesday!!  This is two whole days before I expected to find anything out, so why am I suddenly so anxious, I can’t stand it??

I promptly sent back my phone numbers and availability, and tried to think of ways to fill my time.  My husband will be pleased to know that some of the activities keeping me busy were cleaning off the dresser and the night table in the bedroom.  It was hard to focus on things.  I replayed my interview over and over in my head.  I just knew I had blown it – especially with the comment that to make the vacation more economical, people could skip buying souvenirs (am I crazy???) and do some of the free things in the parks to make memories that they’ll have forever.  But I waited patiently (alright, not so patiently) to see what the phone call would bring.

I had just picked Eilis up at school, it was 3 o’clock on the nose, and I was on my way to get Brighid.  My cell phone rang.  Of course it rings now!  I’m driving, my ear piece won’t answer my phone – it will only let me call out on it – so I have to break the law by answering the phone while I’m driving.  And if I break the law and get caught, I’m sure that disqualifies me for the Mom’s Panel.  But if this is the Mom’s Panel calling, and I don’t answer, I might get disqualified anyway!  So I answer, bless myself (I’m still in the Church parking lot, afterall, that might help), and hear the sweet voices of Disney on the other end! 

I am on speaker phone, and I am told there are two other people there.  I immediately think, “Oh my Gosh, I made it!  They would never put me on speaker phone to tell me I lost and I have to cry like a baby in front of these women!  Disney could never be that sadistic!!”  And almost at the same time, I think, “Oh my Gosh, I didn’t make it, and Disney has put all three of these women on the phone to console me!”  What torture, up until the bitter end!

I finally get the news – “Congratulations!”  Oh my gosh, are you kidding me??  Are you serious?  I am so excited, I can barely stand it!  I’m sure they have given me some sort of information I should be remembering, but the only thing I really hear is not to post about this until after 6 o’clock, when they notify everyone of their decision.  I hope they haven’t given me anything too important to remember, and it’s at some point in the euphoria that I realize I have taken a wrong turn to get Brighid.  They ask me if they’ve called at a bad time, and I assure them they haven’t, but in my excitement, I have forgotten which direction to go to pick one of my children up, and they all laugh.  I don’t think they thought I was serious LOL!!

So I cannot wait to meet the other moms – and one dad – on my upcoming training trip.  If Disney allows us to blog about our experiences, know that I will do my best to post here as often as I can. 

And now, a few lyrics from one of the best songs in the world….