Dream Come True

November 15, 2011 was the best day of my life. Keep in mind that I'm fairly young, never married and I don't have kids. But still, even if I had those things, that day would still have been completely and utterly amazing.
A bit of background first. First of all (in case you don't know me), I am involved in the sport of showing dogs. I have been involved with dog shows for 12 years now, with Cocker Spaniels. I'm not as active in conformation (the beauty pageant side of things) these days, moreso with obedience and rally, but I still love all of it. Secondly, I love musical theatre. My best friend does too, so we're always talking about taking a trip to New York to see a show on Broadway. It's been a dream for both of us for a long time. Every time we discuss it, we put it off, just because it's not an inexpensive endeavour. Thirdly (is that a word????), the greatest dog show in North America is the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, held annually on the second Monday and Tuesday in February, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The cream of the crop are shown there, and it is THE show to attend for dog show enthusiasts.
Yesterday I was sitting at my desk at work when the Facebook Messenger notification pinged on my iPhone. A friend was asking me if I could get time off in February. She wanted to take me to Westminster to see her dog show, as he was invited as one of the Top 5 in the Breed. Oh my goodness, really?????? She wanted to take me? My heart stopped, resumed, pounded and spent a great deal of time in my throat. I literally leapt out of my chair and ran out of my office (okay, there may have been some skipping involved in that running) to tell my friend what had just happened.

Yes, my friend is taking me to NYC to attend Westminster. She is literally making a dream come true for me. I was so high last night and I felt so good, I could have done anything. I'm still in a state of shock, but it's a good shock.
The hotel is booked (the Affinia Manhattan). My flight is booked. The Westminster tickets have been purchased. I spent an hour on the phone with my friend that night, just giggling and being 12 years old, flooded with excitement and unable to contain it. I am really going to be there, on the green carpet, beside some of the greatest dogs in North America! For 2011 the Number One dog in the US is a . . . Cocker Spaniel. His name is Beckham, and he is one of the most beautiful dogs I've ever seen. Better than that, he's not a machine or a robot. He's a happy dog that LOVES to show, and he adores his handlers. To think that he could possibly win Best in Show at Westminster is thrilling enough . . . but to be there???? Oh my gosh, how freakin' amazing.
I really didn't think my day could get better than that, but it did. When I told my best friend the thrilling news, she was excited for me. But it got better, it really did. While I was at the dentist getting my teeth cleaned (visions of incredible dogs going through my head), my best friend booked a flight to NYC for the Saturday and Sunday preceding Westminster, so that we could fulfill a shared dream of seeing a show on Broadway.
I am so happy, excited and bursting right now . . . in less than a month, I'm going to have so much greatness going on that life will seem dull by comparison afterwards.
Wow. Just wow. Thank you to my special friend for making me feel so very special and loved and amazing. I hope to God I can do that for somebody else some day, because it was the most amazing thing ever.