Can you give me a thumbs-up?

Oh, the glitz and the glamour. Are you ready for it!?!?

**To be honest, I would have written about this a week ago, but I got a horrible cold (thanks to the airplane? or Tom?) and it knocked me out for the majority of last week. So sorry for the delay.**

So heres how it went:

The night before I was nervous, just about flying and arriving and everything so I tried to go to bed early, but pretty much tossed and turned. My phone went off at 3:45 am and I had new respect for what Scott & Sam do every morning. They wake up in the middle of the night in order to provide you with morning entertainment! God bless them. Send them an email. Let them know that you appreciate the fact that their alarm goes off every day in the middle of the night... and they don't hit snooze. WOW. I could never do a morning show.

4 am: Off to the airport. Pouring down rain. Gas tank on empty. Why did I not prepare for this? Do I have my license? How long is the security line going to be? Am I going to be in the middle seat?

5 am: Arrive at Sea-Tac. Park. Security. Wait in line.

5:30 am: Board flight. Middle Seat.

Normally I'm a pretty good flyer, but for some reason (early, empty stomach, nervous) I felt just awful as I sat down. The jet took off and I was thinking I was going to be one of those passengers that needs to use the little bag in the front pocket. I silently prayed with my eyes shut that Jesus would help me. Just then, the man to my right offered to get me a blanket because I looked cold. We struck up a conversation and it turns out he was a pastor on his way to a big conference in Los Angeles. We talked for the majority of the flight about ministry, his family, and God. He asked me what I was going to California for and he laughed out loud when I told him Womens World. He told me he and his wife would be on the lookout for my cover debut.

8:45 am: LAX. I've secretly always wanted to have one of those guys waiting for me with a little sign that says "Taylor,S." meaning my car is waiting. This was the first time I've ever gotten one of those! Score. When I got in the car, there were three bottled waters waiting for me. Its like the driver read my mind.

Its like God kept answering my teeny, tiny prayers. "Jesus, I don't feel good." Then here, have someone kind to talk to on the flight. "Jesus, I'm thirsty." Then here, have three free bottled waters.

I was still really nervous at this point, so I was texting my husband and my mom back and forth, asking them to pray for me. I was also still very nauseous from the flight, and praying tremendously that God would help me through the day.

10:00 am: Arrive at studio. I was so thankful that I was greeted by smiling faces. There was about 7 people there. The main camera guy, a few assistants, a hair guy, a make-up guy, and a stylist lady. They were all so friendly.

The best part? My friend from high school, Angela, moved to California a few years ago. I miss her so much, and rarely get to see her. Isn't it just great that she just happened to live 15 minutes from the studio and she just happened to have that Monday off work and all the crew just happened to say it was totally fine that she come to join me??? It was SO nice to have a familiar face there! Seeing her totally put me at ease.

They dressed me up in a few different lime green tops, and a pair of dark wash Citizens (WHICH I GOT TO KEEP), plus jewelry. Oh, and Spanx. Do you know Spanx? LOVE them. They suck you in and make you look a size smaller - getting rid of any lumps and bumps. I got to keep those, too. That was probably my favorite part. I went home and Joel was like "how was it?" and I burst out "I got to keep the Spanx."

My hair was done up like Miss Texas, and I had a load of make-up on. I didn't really recognize my reflection... so who knows what the cover is going to actually look like. Some interesting rendition of someone who sort of resembles me, I'm guessing. I had fun talking with the hair guy and the make-up guy, though. They asked me how I lost the weight and I said: "I stopped eating Tator Tots everyday and started drinking fresh juice." They thought that was about the most honest, funny thing they'd ever heard and started affectionately calling me "Tator-Tot girl."

The kicker: During the actual photoshoot, which was basically in front of a plain blue background, they asked for some very specific things:

1. Big eyes!
2. Big smile! Can I see a space between your teeth? Give me a big laugh!
3. Can I get a thumbs up?

Wait.

No.

I am not going to be that girl who has a big thumbs up on the cover. (If you are reading this today, and you go to the grocery store, notice the current copy of Womens World because there is a lady on there with a lime green shirt and a THUMBS UP).

I sooooo didn't want to give them a thumbs up, because I knew that even if they took 400 pictures, in the end, they'd end up using the one where I put my thumb up, like a nerd. But then I thought - you know what? I'm already here, in California. I'm already dressed in a lime green top. I'm already done up like Miss Texas (no offence, Texas cousins. I love you. But you must admit... your hair IS big.) Since I'm already allllll these things, what more is a little thumbs up?

In any event, the magazine comes out on April 27th, I believe. Go tell your grandma. (Wait, no, she probably already has a subscription.) It was fun to do, but I do NOT recommend flying into and out of LAX in the same day. Too much travel for me - I was flat out exhausted, and 99.9% sure its the reason I got sick. I sponsored my flight home by Dramamene. Best decision I ever made.

I was so thankful to be home that evening, just in time to tuck Olivia into bed. I still had all my Texas makeup on and my Texas hair, and I think she was a little startled! I was like "Dee Dee, it's Mama, I promise!" Ironically, when I got home, I was too tired to juice. So I just washed off all that makeup, put some sweatpants on and crawled into bed. And THAT, friends, is the real glamorous life.

:-)
Sarah