The First Loaves

I am a PERFECTIONIST. That has ups and downs. The ups are that when I do something, I try to do it perfectly. The downs are that I often times stray from doing something unless I do it perfectly.
Today, I decided that it's time for me to make my own Wheat Bread. My mom makes the MOST amazing wheat bread and I have helped her enough that I felt it was time for me to try it on my own. I had the recipe and paid scrupulous attention to every step. I was also stressed at every step thinking - if I do something wrong, this will have be a lost 4 hours of my life. Ironically enough, I'm the one who used to teach my missionaries - it's only failure if you don't learn from it. Yes, Becky, how about applying that advice to yourself.
Anyway, I made the dough and thought it may still be a little too sticky, but I had done and already added more flour than the recipe called for so I gave it over to the RISING stage. After stage 1 of rising, I thought, umm...I don't think it raised enough. Concerned but too late to change it, I prepared it for stage 2 and put it in my new bread pans. Near the end of the second hour of raising, I still didn't think it raised enough and was convinced I'd have one solid block of cooked dough - something more like a brick than the deliciousness I was hoping to eat with my fresh strawberry jam.
I put it in the oven to bake, a little pessimistic, but this is what I saw about 20 minutes through...
They looked to be rising and browning perfectly. My hope was renewed. I anxiously checked them though the oven window every 5 minutes and at the end, this is what I got
2 beautiful loaves of bread and some strawberry jam. I have sampled a little bit of the bread and I'm pleased. I give myself a Blue Ribbon for my first attempt at bread. We'll see if the BF approves - if so, I'll call it a victory. Little perfectionist Becky can now continue on peacefully with Saturday - not feeling like a failure.