Wow, yesterday was such a wonderful day!

James and I left for the Brookwood mall to see Sarah Palin at about 11:00, even though we didn't have to start lining up until 3:00. I just didn't want to take any chances!       James and I were fortunate enough to have 2 bracelets with a guaranteed signing- numbers 393, and 394.  

We walked around the mall for hours- and when it got closer to the time, James put my camera and other things back in the car, because you can't take any other items in the signing room except for the books- so we didn't want to take a chance of having our camera lost or anything.  It was too bad though, because there were so many opportunities to take pictures before we got in.  Several people that we came across were wearing my Sarah Palin T-shirt..that was really cool, seeing so many people just walking around and wearing something I drew!

There was a lot of media there!  ABC 33/40, channel 8 in Montgomery, Fox 6, and even Entertainment Tonight was there.  People were everywhere.

The line forming began around 3:00. Numbers 1-50, 50-80, 80-120, and so on, were called, until we were finally up.   While we were standing in line, different news stations would be video taping us, asking us to hold up our books, etc.      It was a blast.   (1300 people in all eventually were signed at the end, even though only 600 were guaranteed!)

I had a package for Sarah that I desperately wanted to be able to give her, but was not sure whether i would be able to.  (Inside it was one of the Sarah Palin T-shirts I made, rolled up with a bow. The other was an angel pin in memorial of Tad Palin, the baby that Sarah lost many years ago).  

The rules clearly stated that "no items besides books will be allowed in the signing area".   It just seemed like there was not going to be a chance to give it to her at all. 

I kept thinking that if I wasn't able to give it to her, I was going to be so disappointed!      James suggested possibly asking one of the staff if they would give it to Sarah.  Some other people standing in line told me that I should just tell Sarah when I got in there that I had a shirt for her and to ask if I could give it to someone.  They gave me many other suggestions, but  I was just so unsure of whether it would actually happen or not.  Would it actually be accepted at all?

The line kept going and going and eventually, after hours of waiting, we finally got closer to the signing area.   I noticed a little girl in the front corner, and thought, "Wow, that little girl looks just like Piper!"... then James said, "Hey Bethany, I think that's Piper over there!"   We were so surprised and delighted to see her there! 

Another surprise - Palin's son Trig was also there, sitting in a rocking chair with a woman (who I later found out was probably Sarah Palin's aunt).   Trig was so precious and sweet, and so was Piper!

One woman was standing in the front area greeting people as they walked by on the way to the signing area, and she said she was Sarah Palin's mother. Such a sweet lady!   I still had the bag at that point, so James mentioned to her that I had drawn the shirt I was wearing. She said she liked it a lot.... then I realized this was my opportunity...I gave her the package and told her that I wanted to give that to Sarah.  She graciously received the package and thanked me for it.   I gave her a big hug....she was so sweet and kind.  I actually had tears in my eyes because it was just so wonderful and such a relief that I was able to get the package to her.  I knew that her mother was the best person who could have received it.   It could NOT have worked out better than that.

When I got in the signing area, it was so exciting to see Sarah there signing the books.  She was so beautiful, even more beautiful than she is in the pictures. She also was much smaller than I thought she was!    As she was signing the books, she chatted away, asking us who we were, where we were from, and she even commented on the shirt.   I told her that I had given one to her mother, and that I thought her mother was SO nice.  She said, smiling and pointing, "There's my dad...he's nice too!"..... So I looked over and there he was.... I shook his hand, and she was right.    My husband was shaking Sarah's hand and she asked him who he was...he later told me that he was so nervous at the time he couldn't think of what to say so he just said, "I'm her husband!", pointing to me. lol!   

I was on cloud 9 the entire time I was there. I was smiling from ear to ear and just couldn't wipe it away. 

Today, I was so tired I could barely function- somehow, standing for hours and walking in lines for hours can actually really wear you out.  Maybe being pregnant made it even harder. James was worn out too though!   I took a long nap with James and we felt so much better.

When I woke up, I picked up the phone to call someone, then noticed that I had voice mail.

I called the number and listened to the message. To my surprise, it was Sally Heath, Sarah Palin's mother.    She left me the sweetest message thanking me for the package...she said that it was a wonderful gift, very thoughtful, and that Sarah would be sending me a note soon!  

This week just keeps getting better and better.  

(Here is a video from the Birmingham News of the event since I couldn't take pictures!)