I am so amazed, it must be Christmas Magic!

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As many of you know I went back to college at the age of 50. I have been having a ball getting a college degree and taking all the classes I have been taking. This semester I enrolled in a business class titled "Entrepreneurship". It is a tough class being taught by an attorney. I've taken his classes before and he expects the students to listen to the lectures, take notes and participate in class and complete the major projects. I've taken three classes from the gentleman and plan to take more from him when the opportunity presents itself. The project for this semester was a feasibility study for opening a business. The study needed to cover every aspect of starting a business from obtaining licenses, hiring employees, finding a location, outfitting the business with fixtures, and every thing else involved with opening a business. We formed teams of two or three people to work on the study and do all the research and complete a business plan (they are usually between 100 to 300 pages minimum) that you turn in for grading. I joined a young man in preparing a business plan. It was opening a coffee shop and restaurant combination that would hire at risk youth to wait tables and do other jobs. We also were going to have a gift shop that would carry art and craft work from the at risk youths in our county. It was a great idea, and I was working my a$$ off getting information, finding a store front, compiling equipment lists and more. We had from the beginning of the semester in mid August, until November 10th. Two weeks before the study was due, my partner flaked out on me, leaving me scrambling for information and writing the study completely on my own. (YIKES!!!) I was up 18 hours a day for two weeks getting the study done. I knew it wasn't up to my usual standards but I turned it in anyhow. All forty skimpy pages of the study. I got a "C" on the study which was a huge disappointment for me as along with a class grade there is a competition sponsored by the college for the business classes that involve marketing, entrepreneurship, and sales. The top studies from those classes get to participate in the competition. The awards are as follows: $1000 for first place, $500 for second place and $250 for third. I was drooling over the competition but when I got my study back I knew I wouldn't be in the competition...until last night when I checked the class site. I about peed myself, in the top five teams, I was listed!!!! I still can't believe it!!! I sat and cried out of sheer joy! I'm still numb from the shock. It's an honor to just be able to compete in the competition let alone win the prizes. I emailed the instructor asking if he didn't make a bit of a mistake; although he and I have developed a friendship and I know how precise he is. I know it isn't a mistake but a wonderful honor and a chance I didn't think I would be able to have when the person I was partnered with dropped out just before the assignment was due. I am soooo happy and thankful for the opportunity and the honor. I am going to be busting tail putting together the presentation so I can go to the competition. I am going into town to find a "business outfit" to wear to the presentation. We are to dress like business professionals, which for a country girl that is known for being barefoot year round and always being in jeans and a tee shirt, is totally out of character and going to be difficult for me to come up with. One of the biggest things I need is a ton of prayers for me. I have a ton of work to do in preparing for the competition and maybe even a couple for me to win a prize for my presentation. Could my MyLot friends [PLEASEpray for me? I'm excited and nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Just being invited to participate is a huge Christmas gift for me, and the best one I have received in a long long time. Thanks for reading my post, I had to share the happiness and excitement with someone who wouldn't look at me and say "I knew you could do it". I needed to share it with people that would say "Atta girl, this is so great and such a wonderful surprise!!!" Thank you so much for sharing my happiness with me.