Lucky, Lucky, Lucky

Did you hear a woo-hoo scream on Wednesday afternoon, coming from the Massachusetts area? If so, then you probably heard my scream of joy at being chosen as one of the 16 moms (officially one dad and fifteen moms) for the 2009 Walt Disney World Moms Panel.

My application process started back in September, when I submitted my first application. To be honest, while I hoped I would make it past round one, I knew that the odds were against me. The application process included just three 100 word essays, and thousands of parents applied. It would be hard to separate myself from the crowd with just 300 words.

I was thrilled to make it to the second round, where we were asked to complete another three 100 word essays. I felt more confident with these responses, but of course, wasn't entirely sure what specifically they were looking for. When I found out that I'd make it to the third and final round, the phone interview, I was shocked, and the reality of how close I was started settling in.

I prepared a little bit for the phone interview -- thinking specifically of what special skills, knowledge, and characteristics I could bring to the panel. However, after the interview I didn't feel great about it. There was so much more I wanted to say, and I didn't feel that I showed myself in the best light. But, it was over, and I would know the results within the next week and a half.

Finally, last Tuesday, I received an e-mail letting me know that the phone calls with my fate would occur the next day. All day Wednesday, I walked around the house with my cordless phone, occasionally checking the dial tone to make sure it still worked. Of course, I received a variety of telemarketing calls, but no Disney call, until finally, that 407 number showed up on my caller ID. I held my breath and answered, and when that one word, "Congratulations!" was uttered, I did my aforementioned screaming. After I hung up, I jumped up and down in excitement, with my 2-year old and 4-year old joining in (but having no idea why).

So, I'm on the 2009 Walt Disney World Moms Panel (http://www.disneyworldmoms.com). This December, I'm headed down solo for a training trip to meet the other panelists. Five whole days! I've already "met" some of the other online and am getting so excited. Stay tuned for more info about my journey in the upcoming months!