If you didn't know (which you should) Julie Andrews is my favorite person in the world! I absolutely adore her because she is so completely modest and classy. She has always been such an inspiration in my life, and she is my biggest role model. I met her once when I was 6 and again this summer on August 19th. Anyways, my story:

When I got back from California on the 30th of August, I saw that Julie Andrews was going to be on a book tour and would be stopping in Downer's Grove and Schaumburg Illinois. I felt like such an idiot because I had just travelled accross the country to see her and she would be appearing right in my town. Nevertheless, I couldn't pass up another opportunity to see her since the first was so perfect. I called both stores and bought my tickets and found out information. I nervously waited.

On Tuesday, October 13, 2009 I had to sit through P.E., Physics, Band and World Studies. It was complete torture because I was so excited that I just wanted the school day to end. When it finally did, my mom picked me up from school and drove me to my best friend, Laura's school. We picked her up and then drove about 45 minutes to the Tivoli Theater in Downer's Grove. The event started at 6:00 and we got there at maybe 5:00 or 4:45. As we drove into the parking lot, we saw the ABC 7 News fan and about 5 cop cars. Then, we saw the marquee which had Julie's name in lights. We got very excited and went inside to get our tickets. I was ticket 10! We got our books and went into the theater. That itself was an experience because it was so beautiful. It was already quite full, but even so we got a seat near the front. We sat on the far left row of seats about 4 rows from the stage. The organist played a wonderful variety of songs from Julie's career including ones from Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Boyfriend, My Fair Lady and of course the Sound of Music and Mary Poppins. My best friend Laura isn't really a huge Julie fan, but she's such a good friend that she came and supported me. We sat next to a couple named Ken and Marge who were interesting. Marge was a librarian and she just wanted to be in the same room as Mary Poppins. All the while we were waiting, she was asking me questions about Julie. Laura and I tried to start sing-alongs many times, all unsuccessfully. Finally, the whole theater did a sing-along to Do-Re-Mi. Some lady came out and told us that there was no photography and soon Julie made her entrance. She looked absolutely gorgeous, wearing a cream suit with a pinkish scarf. She answered many questions that the audience had written on index cards. Some included: What is your favorite poem in the book? Do you like The Sound of Music or Mary Poppins better? Can you hula hoop? How do you like your tea? and many others. At the end of the Q&A session, Julie announced that she had a surprise and that they would be showing the trailer for the Tooth Fairy before Mary Poppins. Then, she left. Laura and I had both already seen the trailer and of course Mary Poppins, so we decided to leave in order to get to Schaumburg early. We tried to find my mom in the parking lot, when we saw a couple people gathered around the stage door. We suddenly realized that Julie must exit somehow and would probably use the stage door. We ran over and waited eagerly. We all decided that we would sing happy birthday when she came out. As we were waiting, I met another girl named Brittany who was my age. We talked about how rare it was to find someone your own age and how cool it was and how much we loved Julie. I had made Julie a painting and I got to show everyone. The one downside was that it was extraordinarily cold and I didn't have a jacket, so I was shaking. Rick (her make up artist) came out first, and being the obsessed fan I am, I yelled "Hi Rick!" He looked confused, but waved. Finally, she came out looking amazing and we all started singing. She smiled and looked surprised and thanked us for coming. She waved and even said a couple words to the people in the front. Then she got into her car and continued to wave as they drove away. We were so excited because she was so close that we literally could've reached out and touched her! Laura and I decided to go back into the theater with Brittany so we could exchange information. We found out that she was going to come to the Borders at about 4 am, so we would see her in the morning. Then, we went to eat at a nearby Mexican restaurant called Roccos.

After going to the Tivoli Theater, we drove to Borders in Schaumburg. The store didn't close until 11 and it was only 9 so we went inside. Laura had to have a conversation with her parents, so her little brother Michael and I decided to sit in every chair in Borders in case she sat in it. We were so hyper and we probably bothered everyone in the store. We chased eachother and were just really hyper. Then, we bounced the light up balls until the guy who worked there told us to stop. Finally, Laura was finished, and her brother and parents went home. The store still wasn't closed so we sat and read magazines until they kicked us out. My mom was going to sleep in the car and Laura and I were going to sleep on the sidewalk by the door. We blew up our sleeping bag pads and layed out our sleeping bags. Then, I pulled my warm PJ pants over my jeans and put on a thermal shirt, sweatshirt and socks. Then, I got my hat, scarf and gloves and homework. We sat and did homework for a while, then layed in our sleeping bags and talked. At about 1 am, we went to sleep. At maybe 3 am, we were waken up by my friend Taylor's arrival. I knew her from the forum and was expecting her. I was so tired that I only muttered "hi" and then fell back asleep. My alarm on my phone went off at 5 am and by that time, there were about 15 people in line. Taylor and Brittany were there, so we invited them to come over on our sleeping bags with us. We talked about Julie for a while and shared songs and pictures. At about 6:30, we went to Starbucks and all got hot chocolate. That woke us up and made us really hyper. We decided to go and meet everyone in line. We asked them all where they were from, what time they got there, if they were big fans and other questions. Then, we tried to start a sing-along and it just ended up being us singing and everyone else looking at us. We were so excited and felt so comfortable among the other fans. Then, at around 8:30, we took tons of pictures in front of the signing poster. Finally, the store opened and the line was as follows: Me, Laura, my mom, this dude and his mom, Taylor, her sister Shelby, her mom, Brittany, her mom ect. We were the first group and so we got purple wristbands. We were all really excited. Then, we parted-Laura and I off to school and Taylor and Brittany since they were from Kentucky and St. Louis to hang out. I got to school at about 11:40 and got to miss 2 classes, so I only had to sit through Band and English! My mom was late picking me up because she picked pu Laura first, so I talked to my friend Nick (hammer166) on the phone for a while. Finally, my mom arrived and we drove back to Borders.

When we got to the Borders at about 4:00, Taylor and Brittany were just arriving and we all began spazzing out together. We went to the upstairs, where she would be signing and were the first ones there. The tablecloth on the tabke was crooked and it was bugging me, so I went accross the line and fixed it. Then, we made friends with all the Borders people and the photographer. We weren't allowed to line up yet, so we just hung out. Then, the Borders people brought out a book that they told everyone to sign, because they were giving it to Julie at the end. I thought this was a great idea and I wrote my thing first. After we had all finished, we went to the back of the store to see if Julie's car was there. It wasn't. We decided to go buy some chalk so we could write a welcome message on the cement. We walked all around the mall complex thing looking, and no one sold any. So, we went back and were allowed to line up. I was first in line, and Taylor and Brittany were so nervous that they didn't want to be first so they went to the middle. I sat and did homework for a while, but then people kept asking me to look at the painting I did, so I got rather distracted. Suddenly, Rick was there! My mom and him were talking, and he looked at me and said:

Rick: You look familiar...
Annie: I was at the Tivoli last night...
Rick: Oh yeah! I remember someone called out my name, and I think it was you!
Annie: -blushing hugely- Yup.. that was me.... -hiding-
My mom: She also met Julie in California this summer!
Rick: Oh yeah! I remember you
My mom: No you don't!
Rick: Yeah, yeah I do! I don't remember your name though.
Annie: I'm Annie
Rick: I'm Rick (I SHOOK HIS HAND!!!!)
Annie: I know
Rick: I know you know... I don't know how you know, but I know you know
Annie: I'm from the forum
Rick: Ohhhh cool

Then, Rick started to walk away.

My mom: I love your shoes
Rick: Thanks! I bought so many, that they wrote my name on them. (he shows us that it says sharp on the tongue)

JULIE COMES!!!

She looked absolutely gorgeous and was wearing black pants, a black turtleneck and a pink suit jacket thing and a white scarf with black flower things. As she was taking publicity photos, Rick talked to me again.

Rick: So you were at the Tivoli last night?
Annie: Yup
Rick: You must be a big fan, since you come to a lot of our events
Annie: Yes! I live here and when I went to California, I didn't know she was going to be here and I have cousins there so we had been planning a trip anyways
Rick: I see

Julie waves at me to come

Julie: Helloooo
Annie: hiii
Julie: So you were at the Tivoli last night?
Annie: Yes it was amazing!
Julie: Oh yes, I had so much fun
Annie: You looked like you were having fun
Julie: The lady was so nice
Annie: mmhm
Julie: Did they play the Tooth Fairy trailer?
Annie: Yes! It was so good! (of course I had seen it before )
Julie: Oh that's wonderful! I'm glad you liked it. Are you going to go see it?
Annie: Of course! We're all going to go and have a watching party.
Julie: -laughs- that's lovely. (my bag was on the table) What have we here?
Annie: I made a painting for you
Julie: Oh my gosh it's lovely! I'll treasure it for the rest of my life
Annie: Thank you! I made you a bracelet as well
Julie: Thank you so much for spoiling me! I feel bad that I'm just writing my name on this book
Annie: Oh no! You've given us so much more! Thank you so much
Julie: Oh thank you!
Annie: Bye! Thanks for everything

Then, I hugged my mom and burst into happy tears and was given tissues by the staff. Then, I got to wait in line with Britt and Taylor and then I went back to my mom. I watched them get their time, feeling so happy for them and just looking at Julie. Then when they came over, we all three had a group hug and started BAWLING really really loudly. Julie looked at us and went "awww" and then the staff gave us more tissues. We went downstairs to wait for Shirley (Shirl_752002). My mom was only going to let us stay for her, but then she let us stay for the whole thing. We just sat and talked to everyone and about Julie. We met this really awesome 15 year old named Cassie and we freaked out with her. Then, we went outside to look at her car. We went up to it, but the lights started flashing, so we ran away. Then, we decided to wait outside the elevator for when she came out. We chatted for a long time, and then the Borders people told us that she wasn't coming out the elevator and was instead going out a secret way. We said oh and went to see if we could see her stand up through the glass thing. We waited and waited and finally, we saw the last person. We started freaking out and then WE SAW HER STAND UP AND WALK TO THE ELEVATOR! So we ran over to it, and the people were like "20 feet away 20 feet away" and then it binged and Rick came out and then JULIE! We spoke into our invisible walkie-talkies and said "the eagle is leaving the eagle is leaving" like we rehearsed. Julie laughed and then I yelled "Bye Julie! We love you!" and she turned around and WAVED AT US!!!!

Then, we went outside and waited to see her car drive away. My mom told us to get in the car, so we parted with Shirley and Cassie, but Britt, me and Laura were going to dinner, so we were still together. We got in the car and begged my mom to wait for Julie to leave. So we waited and we could see her getting into the car and the trunk closing. Finally, they drove right passed us and we freaked out. Now, here comes the ironic part. We got on the road to go to Maggiano's, the restaurant we were going to. Guess who we were RIGHT NEXT TO at the stoplight. JULIE FREAKING ANDREWS. We were sure that they thought we were following them, so we were freaking out! The driver leaned over and looked at us, and Rick leaned over and looked at us. My mom waved. Finally, the light changed and we were still going the same way. We looped around so they wouldn't think we were following them, and went to dinner.

THEY WERE THE BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE

There is no way I can describe the level of excitement in us girls. We had the time of our lives, and so what if Rick thinks we're stalkers! Julie Andrews waved at us and I got to have a conversation with her without feeling like a total idiot. My life is now complete.