Better Homes and Gardens Came to My House

Two weeks ago, after the alarm went off early in the morning, I dragged myself out of bed all the while bemoaning the fact that it was pitch black outside and frankly it felt all wrong to have to be doing anything other than snuggling under the covers for another hour or so.

I went downstairs, made coffee and opened my laptop to check emails before the kids came down.

And there it was. An email from an editor at Better Homes and Gardens.

I blinked a few times to make sure I was seeing it correctly through my tired, bleary eyes. You see, they had seen my DIY Plate Rack and thought it would be perfect for the ‘I Dit It’ column in their magazine and would I be willing to hop on a phone call? I honestly had to read the email about 10 times before I was able to process it. Really?! Me?! My little ol’ plate rack hanging in my kitchen?!!

After emailing the editor back (it took all of my willpower to not have a million exclamation points in my reply back to her and to try and stay calm, cool and collected!) and scheduling a time to talk I raced around the house getting the kids ready for school and thinking about how crazy life is. You can be sitting there in your robe with wet hair and only thinking about how you should’ve packed the kids lunches the night before and then suddenly you find out that BHG wants to come to your house!

It was only when we were on the phone that the editor dropped the bomb. They wanted to come to my house soon…like really soon….like in a few days soon! YIKES! Not only was it crazy to think of just under normal circumstances but I was preparing to speak at a church women’s retreat that coming weekend and was already a tad overwhelmed. But, all I said was “Sure! Of course! No problem!”

Within a couple of days the boxes of goodies/props began to be delivered to my home and before I knew it the big day had arrived!

The photography equipment was dropped off in the kitchen.

And pretty soon this entire space was taken over. Of course, I had to be a good hostess and keep everyone nourished throughout the day so we munched on apple cider doughnuts in the morning, chex mix, and my amazing roasted red pepper soup for lunch with bread from my favorite local bakery.

Edmund the photographer and Char the stylist were such a blast to work with and we were fast friends. They made me feel so comfortable and at ease and I couldn’t have asked for more amazing people to have in my home all day.

The entire thing felt like such a ‘pinch me I must be dreaming moment’. I never would have imagined the week before that I would have Better Homes and Gardens coming to my house to photograph me standing next to the plate rack I built one afternoon to fill an awkward wall in my kitchen.

But, here’s the thing my friends. It felt so much like a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but after they left, the sweats went back on, my hair went back into a ponytail and I hurried to get dinner on the table and help my kids with their homework.

And that’s the real stuff of life after all, isn’t it? Magazines and book deals and speaking engagements are all pretty great and I’m humbled that God is opening doors for me and that I’m able to pursue my dreams.

But, at the end of the day, my most favorite role of all is as a wife and a mom and a homemaker. It’s my sweet spot. It’s what I find to be the most fulfilling.

Don’t get me wrong, this kind of opportunity is super fun and I’m deeply grateful for everything. But, it’s important to keep a proper perspective, don’t you think?

To remember what defines us…and what doesn’t.

So I’ll simply chock this one up as a really cool experience, a fun adventure. And I’ll happily sit here in my sweats and fondly remember the day that Better Homes and Gardens came to my house!

P.S. I’ll be sure to let you know which issue it’s going to be in as soon as I get the OK! 😉