Susie (the Stay At) HomeMaker: A True Story- Part Three- The Long Winded Final Chapter

When Pioneer Woman finally arrived at the podium, I could hear her perfectly. But, apparently, the other 500 people in attendance, waiting to see AND hear her could not. Ree seriously did this:

She spoke into an empty microphone stand. She was clearly embarrassed. We all know that she is a nervous public speaker and I could just imagine that this made her armpits gush. She said that hopefully there were no pictures of that embarrassing moment. But it would appear that MK got the shot! Miles rushed in a few minutes later and set up the mic for her. But at that point, she was just fine with holding it. All my hard work of standing on my tippy toes for her, trying my hardest to set the correct height of the microphone stand, was all for naught.

But I did get to see her, and somehow in my mind interact with her. We made eye contact. In that moment, I knew and she knew, that we were destined to be best friends, FOREVER! Ree and Susie. Susie and Ree. Doesn't it just sound magical? Oh? I am crazy? No, I don't think so. Oh? People normally have more than minute long conversations with their best friends? Doesn't me reading her blog count as a conversation? No? Oh. Okay, well maybe I am just a tad bit crazy. But just to be fair to my lunacy, after Ree met Sherri Shepherd (of the View) she posted on her blog that they were now really close friends, even if Sherri didn't know yet. I had told my loving Side O Beef when the book signing was announced, that once Ree met me that she would realize that we were meant to be besties. And now it has all come true. In my mind. Which somehow still sort of counts...

I know that you cant really tell in this picture, but she is looking right at me! Okay, well maybe at my Big Kid. But she is sitting next to me, so it could be me or her, the world will never know. Anyway. The reason that Ree is looking at us is because she had a Q&A segment. Yup, I am going with Segment. My Big Kid looked up at me and said, "Oh! Mommy! I have a question for Ree!" I said, "Well raise that hand on up!" (yeah that doesn't sound like how I talk at all!) So she did. And Ree called on her. I wish I had a picture of her talking to Ree, but all I could do was stare. And she said this to Ree: "I used to do... No wait..... I Do Ballet Like You Used to Ballet!" With all of the excitement and wonder that a six year old girl can muster, My Big Kid spoke to Ree! Technically, not a question. But who cares! The Big Kid spoke to Ree and Ree spoke to her. It was seriously like the highlight of it all for her! She loves that she messed it up a little. It makes telling the story all the more exciting for her. Ree replied that Ballet was an amazing activity and that she loved it. She encouraged my Big Kid to continue doing ballet. My Girl nodded in excitement. She wants Pointe shoes remember!

Ree did her Ethel Merman impression singing her heart out! It was amazing. She was so kind and funny and real. REAL! Like if it hadn't been for those other 500 some odd people there it would have almost been like her and I sitting down enjoying a coffee together. She was just so friendly, and did I mention real? After saying that she was only going to take one more question like 6 or so times, she really did stop. And it was time. IT WAS TIME!! We were going to go up to Ree and talk to her!

What to say? What do you say to your best friend when you meet them for the first time? The Big Kid and I had talked about mentioning that she only wants to eat PW recipes. We talked about telling her that my SoB (and everyone else that knows me) refers to my PW cookbook as The Bible. Which is true. It is my bible. I barely breathe without it. So when it came time to go up there. As much as I thought about it, I didn't push my girl out of the way. I let her be first. And boy was she excited!

This was us as we approached the table. I cant even remember what I said. Except to tell her that we are the crazy looney people that waited since 10 am to meet her. And that I was surprised that there were not other people waiting with us. But that it appeared she got the showing that she deserved. Yup, I am slightly crazy, maybe.

I think that my girl would have gone home with her in a heart beat. She was very impressed by her. In the back ground you can see Ree's oldest daughter. On the table you can see the picture that the Big Kid made for Ree, as well as the hair clips. Ree is writing in the Big Kid's "special journal book".

She wrote, "Love to (Big Kid's real name here)! (Heart here) Keep Dancing! =) Ree/PW"

My Girl looked at that all night and into the next day! She took it to school to show her teachers and friends. (Only one of her teachers even knows what we are talking about when we say Pioneer Woman)

This is me. Walking in front of the shot of PW and the Big Kid that MK was trying to take. (Note: The Big Kid still holding her Golden Ticket!)

This is the make up shot of Ree and the Big Kid, because I sux.

This is Ree telling me that she cannot wait for me to come to the Ranch and hang out with her! At least that's how it went in my mind. Which totally counts.

This is me and my new best friend. Don't we just look great together? Or she looks scared of me. Hard to tell.

This is me sharing my new best friend with my Big Kid. See. I can share.

This is MK talking to Ree. Telling her how to spell her name. MK saying that she is happy that Ree wants to be my bff. Or at least that is how I picture it.

This is MK with the Big Kid and Ree. The Big Kid was a fixture for picture taking. I think that she would have stayed and been in everyone's pictures all night long had we let her. She really didn't want to leave Ree.

My Friend that came to wait with us in the afternoon time. See the Big Kid? Posing, Smiling? That Big Kid really is fairly photogenic. I think that she gets that from Ree.

I was quite sad that I was not able to bring The Tank and Little Red. I know that she would have found a kindred soul and hair color in Little Red. This is what Ree missed out on: