I just realized yesterday that I get paid to play house (decorate a store) and dress up Barbies (clothing mannequins).  Basically I’m being paid to be a little girl!

As I was working yesterday, I had two different strangers come up to me at two different times and say, “You really love your job, don’t you?”  Must have been the goofy smile on my face.  I don’t know.  But they’re right.  I DO love my job.

I also had two different customers come up to me yesterday and say that they sometimes come into the store just to be there, with no intention of buying anything.  They just like how it looks and feels when they come in.  A big part of that is that our owner, Sandy, knows virtually everyone’s name who walks through our doors.  We also have music playing in the background.  And it feels good to know that my contribution of staging the place adds to the ambiance of comfort and relaxation.

It’s been great fun to get to know all the girls that work there.  Some are older (like me) but some are college age girls who will be leaving in a couple weeks to go back to school.  (We will be having a good-bye get together for them next week at my house.  With lots of chocolate 🙂 They aren’t old enough yet to be mad when I make them treats each week! )  We help each other look for clothes and have mini “fashion shows” to try things out.  They have pegged my style.  Yesterday one of the girls held up a tank top/sweater type thing (totally funky) and said, “I found this and thought of you!  It’s so weird!”  It is completely sideways (on purpose) with a front pocket on the diagonal.  I am wearing it right this minute 🙂 P.S. You can check out our stuff if you google Cotton Kloset Parker Colorado – my little antique stove is on there, too!

So every Monday, Wednesday and Friday I basically have a big girl “play date” (Shhhhhh…don’t tell my boss….she thinks when I’m decorating is work!)  But yesterday was a special day.  Had the unique opportunity to work with someone who has gone through a really, really rough time recently.  It has taken a huge toll on her self confidence.  And she was ready for a bit of a fashion intervention.  So much fun!  We picked out dresses and jeans and high heels and boots and shirts and jewelry for her to try.  When she would come out of the dressing room, all of us, including the other customers would hoot and holler and tell her how cute she looked (which she did!).  The smile that came across her face was priceless.  You could see that glimmer of  “I feel pretty” in her eyes – slightly embarrassed but thoroughly enjoying the experience.  It was so fun to see the transformation and to see HER see the transformation.

This post really has very little point to it.  Just a silly musing of the fun I have at work and how thankful I am for the daily interactions in a place where I get to create and “do my thing”.    Thanks, Jesus.  It’s a really good thing….You know me well…