This past weekend marked a very important event in my life. This event is something some of you might think as superficial, but if you really know me you know how much it means to me and why it has changed my life. I finally met Julie Andrews, the Julie Andrews.

The weekend started as any other starts when I'm far too excited and nervous. As normal I was not able to sleep on Thursday night so by Friday I was tired, and my mom was tired. Since we were leaving right after mom's class I was up bright and early, ready, and expectant. Before long we were on our way, after having spent four hours playing SIMS 3 while mom was in class.

We arrived at 7ish at "Paradise Pier Hotel", one of the Disneyland hotels. It was beautiful... with big comfy beds, an AC that was making the artic seem like just another summer day, and with the promise of meeting someone I have always admire, not only because she's famous.

By 8 I was already jumping up and down the bed until mom relented and we decided to walk towards Downtown Disney. Really, this three hotels, DD, and Disney are a network. Once you are in you won't even need your car to go from one to the other, we certainly didn't even use ours until the last day, and that was only to leave towards home. The Grand California Hotel, where the signing would take place, was a freezer! Even with the huge chimney within it, you could still feel the cold and ache for anything to cover yourself with! The goodthing is that it has a passageway directly to DD and very close to the signing spot! After locating the alleyway where we were supposed to queu in line the next day, and after mom convincing me that it was alright to go back to the hotel, we crashed in the beds... at least mom did.

I was unable to sleep, at all! I kept changing the chanel, learned the whole script of 'the secrets of disneyland', went on the internet, read my chapter on Health, twittered, and even learned a little of my script. By the time 1 am rolled around I was exhausted and I still couldn't sleep. Mom was still in cloud nine. I took a shower, got ready, and then waited, practicing what I would tell Julie if I got a chance to meet her, to talk to her.

At four in the morning I convinced mom to go downstairs, through the dark alleways and into DD. Nobody was there! It was deserted! And a little scary. We finally found someone from the cleaning crew who told us that they didn't know anything (aparently it was a very well kept secret for NO ONE knew anything). We were told that if it said to queu in at 6 to come back at 5:30. Dejected we went back to the hotel. Did we sleep? Not a chance.

At 5:30 we made our way downstairs once more. This time there were more people and we started chatting with another mother and daughter in the same position we were in. Apparently, while the team of Disney Cast Members were already there, they weren't allowing us to line up, instead they told us to walk around a very dark DD until 5:45 came along, the time the parking lot would open.

When 5:45 came to the dot the line started. Mom got number 15 and I got number 16! We were made to wait in line until 6:30, right in the middle of Jazz Kitchen and Island Charter. Everyone was excited, talking amongst themselves, talking about the last time they had seen Jools, or which movie she was currently in. It was so much fun even if we were exhausted, standing there with nothing else to do. Mom took time to read her own homework!

At 6:30 we were allowed to go into one of the big Grand California Hotel convention rooms, where chairs were already lined up for us. We were placed into rows, ten by ten, and then sat down... very closely. This was alright because since we were in the artic, AC's problems, we got to huddle close and exchange Julie stories. Everyone was taking pictures, a girl even napped. We had to wait until 8:00 for the store to open. That's when we got the first sad news. Julie's book was still in print and woudln't be available for us at the moment. If we wanted it we had to buy it through the internet page; it would be presigned. However, the sad news were followed by good news; she would also be signing the artwork!

Two examples were brought out of the artwork; the 500 dollar one and the 1,000 dollar one. Everyone flocked around it of course, and I even got a cell picture of it before the guy standing between them said that there would be no more pictures. We had to wait more but finally 8 am rolled around.

Once more we were taken in rows of ten to the small makeshift store. We bought the Lithografy, got our voucher with our number, and we were released. Many of us were scared to lose our spot but we were happy to learn that they would respect the voucher so we went on. Breakfast was in order, sleeping if you could (which I couldn't) and then trying to spent the time you had left until 1o pm without forgetting to go back!

Even though we were told we could access from 6:30 till 1:00 we weren't actually allowed back in until 1:00. Once more we sat down, this time in disorder, and waited. We learned that from the 400 vouchers that they were ready to give out there were 0 left! Many got a Litho without the promise of getting to see Jools or Toby (the artist). I would have died if I were in their place. The thing is that many thought the line would start at 1:30 and not at 6:00 in the morning. Either way they were already selling presigned copies, which we would later get one of.

When 1:30 finally came everyone was excited; licking lips, bitting nails, shaking legs, pacing up and down. Everyone was expectant! I think I had called Chicken Nugget (aka Mello) like three times already! I was a nervous wreck... but I wanted to meet Julie and I was finally going to be able to do it. I WAS NUMBER 16! We were told we coudln't take pictures with her, as in hugging her and stuff, but that a cast member would take our pic with our camera when she was signing. Liars!

Anywho, a picture is just a picture, and it won't replace the wonderful memories of the next moments in my life, in this event. The first 25 people, with whom I had contact all morning, were called. I think I literally jumped off the seat! With camera in hand we followed the Cast representative out of the room, down a hallway, and close to some glass doors where people were already pressed again. I guess Julie had come through there. We were told we could go in any order, I was number 4, but then we were told to go in order of voucher, so I was put in number 16. I was lucky and you'll see why.

Then we were told there woudln't be any pictures! *raises fist at sky*. I think a couple of them booed, and I hope Julie didn't think it was for her. I'm sure she didn't. Slowly, little by little, we were let in. There was this huge oak door through which Julie was, but we coudln't see her because they had one of those wood curtains with little slits. Needless to say I quickly spotted her. First impression; I was a puddle on the floor, but I had time to get myself back together.

With Litho in hand, and face pressed against the wood curtain I saw Julie sign Litho after Litho until finally mom and I were the next ones. The lady that would take us to her was gladly talking to us, so she got me a little calmed down before we went up. And then... finally... it was our turn.

There are just no words to explain accurately what happened.

Julie was sitting behind a squared table, covered with a white and greenish table cloth. She was breathtaking, a breath of fresh air. She smiled at us, beckoned us forward because at that point neither mom nor I had moved, and gracefully welcomed us. Okay, here I'm going to go into describing.

The first thing I noticed were her eyes. They are blue, but this blue that the camera cannot replicate. They are so full of life, so full of happiness. They sparkle like no eyes I've ever seen before... they are eyes that have seen many things but have found happiness in all of them. Her hair, which was perfectly in place, was a lighter color that I've usually seen her wear. I think they were like a dark blonde and a soft brown. As always she was wearing those big pearl earings, clip ons of course. Around her neck I believe she had a string of pearls, but nothing over the top. Jewlery was only that and her rings... I fell inlove with the ring that her husband gave her! She was wearing her blazer, as always; a soft blue color, with a white scarf around... the Julie Style. I was not ready to see her wearing glasses but they were so cute, right at the end of her nose when she looked down.

I quickly dialed number 2 by pressing it, which calls Mello's number and waited, my phone vibrated telling me no one answered so I called again, no answer again. I wanted her to hear Julie's voice since she hadn't been able to go. Seeing as she didn't answer I focused completly on Julie.

She imediately started signing, all the while thanking us for being there. And that's when we started talking.... I GOT TO TALK TO HER.

I thanked her for doing everything she's done and told her how much she had impacted my life. I told her that through her work she gave me my first singing and acting lessons and that she was the reason I loved theater and acting so much. She said it was a blessing to hear that she had changed the life of one person... she thanked me for it. Then I told her she gave me the courage, unknowningly, of getting on stage. Her face lit up, literally. It went something like this;

Me: Thank you for giving me the courage to get on stage.

Jools: Really? Did you do it?

Me: Yes!

Jools: Did you like it?

Me: Oh I love it.

Jools: I'm so glad! *laughs* What did you do?

Me: Christmas Carol, a sixty and fifty year old, *smile from Jools*, and I was the fairy godmother for Cinderella *Julie laugh*.

Jools: Really? Are you doing anything right now?

Me: Yes, we are doing Christmas Carol again.

Jools: When? Where?

Me: In local theater, Calexico, at the end of November

Jools: Oh Calexico? *she appeared to recognize the name while she stopped mid signature of my litho, she looked upward and thought for a second* Yes, right before Christmas.

Me: Yes!

Jools: Well, I'm glad that you get to enjoy the theater, I wish you very good luck.

I almost became a puddle. From now on I will forever remember that she wished me luck. And if I do become a good actress I will owe it all to her.

Me: Thank you.

She continued on signing my Litho, her last name with that lovely gold marker, and I just had to ask... it was burning in my mind, I just had to know!

Last time that she was in a signing for her biography "Home", I had taken a Cinderella drawing I did of her. It can be found here . Since I wasn't able to see her I had to give it to her representative and I always wonder if she did see it or not. Seeing as this was probably my only chance to ask her i went ahead and did.

Me: I was wondering if you'd like the drawing of Cinderella I did of you?

Jools: Drawing?

Me: Yes, last time you were here I had to give it to your manager.

Jools: *thinks back* Oh yes! It was lovely! I loved it!

Me: That's awesome! I was wondering if you had seen it.

Jools: Oh yes, I did, thank you very much.

Me: Thank you, for being the great person you are and for coming here.

Jools: No, thank you for coming here and standing in line.

I don't quite remember the rest of what I said, but I do remember her saying goodbye and smiling. While doing the line for Toby's signature I constantly kept looking back at her. My three minutes were over but I was happy and I was still seeing her. We got Toby's signature, I thanked him for making a Mary Poppins litho which I could afford, and then went on. A cast member helped us put our Litho back into the plastic slip, gave us a D23 Mary Poppins button and then we left. I managed a look back before the door closed. Everyone around us looked at us with envy but I was so happy I really could have cared less.

I had to hold in my flail and squeals until the hotel. As soon as the elevator doors closed I screamed. *giggles* I guess I was very happy. I went back to the hotel, twittered, and then off we went to Disneyland.

We passed by, heard some who were still asking abou buying the Litho (this was already around 2:00 pm and after telling them were they could buy the presigned I followed and bought the third one. We will be selling two of them since we are only keeping one. What was important was for us to meet Julie, and we did so we were happy.

I called Chicken Nugget, she didn't answer... again! Then I went online once more, berrated her for loosing her chance at hearing Julie, and then went to sleep.

Haha, well at least I tried to.. it was dumb because I wasn't able to. I still haven't been.

As many of you have already told me, this is somethign I will surely never forget! Those three minutes are the highlight of my life... apart from seeing her and getting to hear her sing. Her voice is sooooooooo much better. I don't doubt she'll try and sing during the Year 2010 celebration she's hosting.

I will never forget her, never mind my camera ran out of space and I didn' get to record her voice, never mind that I didn't get a picture, I got to talk to her and that's all that matters, plus someone was valient enough to do it and managed to snap a picture of her! I will always treasure that picture!

What else can I say... I met her... I talked to her...she wished me luck in my acting career.

I am happy.

THANK YOU MOM FOR DRIVING FIVE HOURS FOR ME TO MEET HER!