Melissa...that is something to shout about indeed! way to go! You never know what you'll find in those little bags at Lowes.
John,
The abbreviations that designate Melissa's award, HCC/AOS, indicate that she won a Highly Commended Certificate from the American Orchid Society. The 78 points is what designates which flower quality award she won. The point scale goes to 100, and scoring is done based on national standards for the particular plant being considered for an award. A minimum of 75 points is required for any award, and it is tough to achieve that score...that is why Melissa deserves a great big...WAH-HOOOO!!!
Other flower quality award abbreviations you might see are:
AM - Award of Merit (awarded to flowers with a score of 80-89)
FCC - First Class Certificate (these are rare and are given to flowers with a score of 90 or more)