I got to "walk the stage" 4 times at the Awards evening. The very first time I went up onto the stage, my shoe broke! So I spent the rest of the evening going up and down the stairs in my bare feet! Ack!! They must think I'm such a bohemian! :)
Despite my wardrobe malfunction, I made it onto the stage 4 times on Thursday night (and a further 3 times for awards marches on Friday). Not bad - 7 onstage appearances for my first year as a demonstrator!!
Thursday night at the very elegant gala event, my 2 most memorable walks were for Founders' Circle and Rising Star. This year, it turns out only 10 people in North America achieved Rising Star. Not only was I honoured to be one of them, but I was the ONLY Canadian Rising Star recipient this year! Talk about an honour! In addition and as I already posted a few days ago, I am one of the top 20 demonstrators in all of Canada this year. This achievement has earned me a spot in Founders' Circle - one of the highest honours that Stampin' Up! can give its demonstrators. I feel so completely blessed to be in this exclusive group of women (top 20 Canadians, top 100 Americans). When I return home and have all my photos downloaded, I will post more about these amazing honours - both the awards these last few days and the retreat trips I will be going on as part of both awards.
I was very lucky that Michelle Sturgeon, a fellow Canadian demonstrator and an incredible lady, was kind enough to share my excitement with me and take several photos - this one included! Then after the awards ceremony there was a wonderful post-awards party where I got to dance the night away with some truly awesome Canadians from western Canada. Heidi, Fran (yes you do so have rhythm), Rebecca, Cheryl, Leanne and Lauren (because I *know* you were there in spirit--hope you're feeling better), thank you so much for sharing my excitement and for your willingness to let me be crazy with you for a while. You ladies absolutely ROCK!
I'd better keep this "short" as I still have 2 classes left, back-to-back, first thing in the morning. This is the class that I was asked to help present this year (did I not tell you that I was unbelievably honoured at this, my first Convention?!?). At any rate, in a very short time I will be on stage again helping to give this talk so I will bid you adieu right now. But not before I say that I hope your week has been as blessed as mine has been and that your lives have been as full and as rich. I have smiled from ear to ear for so many days now, I cannot remember what it feels like to 'not' smile!
Have a wonderful Sunday everybody. God Bless you all! ~Cynthia <><
