Cloud Number 9

I keep thinking that I am in a dream. I am in a surreal sort of space and I keep having to remind myself that this is actually true. Whatever happened yesterday did actually happen.

I won THE WEDDING EXPO - WIN A WEDDING competition. I can't freaking believe it. I was so overwhelmed and excited and oh so chuffed. The prize is worth R45 500.00 and it includes the a dress, car hire, venue hire, wedding co-ordinator services, suit hire, the cake, Rings etc etc etc. This is like a dream come true.

The way in which I won is something that was mean't to be. It seriously is called destiny. The competition was being held together with the Pretoria Times and my aunt who lives there pulled out the entry forms and actually gave it to my cuz (the one that's also getting married this year and told her to pass the one on to me). Well we were at the expo yesterday and my cuz left early so she handed the newspaper pull outs to me and told me to enter. One had to be present at the expo at 3pm when the draw was supposed to take place. So I thought well i'm here, I do want to watch the 3pm fashion show - why not.

Than came the obstacles -

• One had to have both entry forms to enter - Check! My cuz had left and now I had both entry forms. Yippee

• It had to be pasted onto the back of an envelope, together with contact details - I didn't have an envelope and how was I going to stick it on without any glue or sticky tape.

If ever the saying WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY - it was this situation. I went over to the information desk and asked them if they had an envelope for me. They didn't. I rummaged through my bag and only came up with a old letter that I had received some time ago. These girls at the info counter gave me a piece of paper and we made a makeshift envelope. Now the task of tearing out the entry forms neatly and pasting them onto the makeshift envelope. We folded the forms and tried pasting them with Softlips and than I tried Lipstick - nothing worked. I think by now I was so caught up in the moment - i was in a frenzy. I told my mum to help me gather up everything and we going to look if one of the stalls have sticky tape or even prestik. As we were zooming through the aisle through a sea of people, I told my mum - keep a lookout for a stall with a stapler.

And there it was - in the dress suit stall, a shiny silver stapler just waiting for me. I went up to the guy who was manning the stall and politely asked if I could use the stapler. He was only too happy to let me use it. I stapled my entry forms onto the paper, used like a dozen staples and traipsed back to the info desk to write my details. I than posted the entry form into the box and went to have lunch. The fashion show was starting at 3pm and by 2:30 the place was packed. There was no place left for us to sit so we stood and boy were my feet sore. The wedding gowns that were being showcased were absolutely gorgeous. My feet were in agony and luckily towards the end of the show people started leaving so we grabbed a seat.

And than came the draw. When the guy dug his hand in the box and took out the winning ticket I knew it was mine. All I could think of was there is my entry form on a makeshift envelope with lipstick marks and the smell of Softlips all over it. The guy making the announcment took forever to read out the name and finally it was me walking away with the winning prize. It was absolutely amazing - me that has never won anything ever.....

The prize is awesome - it is going to make all my dreams come true. I was really starting to panic about the cost of the wedding. And than this happened. This is certainly what dreams are made off..... I had a look at the venue on the website - it is absolutely stunning. I still can't believe it. All I wanted to do last night - was scream it out from the top of the highest mountain. I have my Godparents to thank for this. They were the first people that I called - we all met up for supper last night. Everyone couldn't believe it.....

I was walking around in a daze yesterday afternoon, it only sank in after I got home and I really wanted to cry. This gift is going to make all my dreams come true....