Tomorrow one of my dearest friend's daughter is getting married. We have been looking forward to this for months. I have a small role to play at the reception tomorrow and am on the set up crew for the few things needed to set up before the reception. I could not be more honored and delighted about every single little part of it.
I am also needed in Florida to keep my mother company while my father is off building bridges for indigenous people in Panama. I am honored and delighted to be able to help and be with her.
So, in order to be both places, I carefully searched for tickets which would let me be with my mother and also be part of this beautiful wedding. I thought I found them three weeks ago and could not be happier about them. When I was purchasing them, twice, the internet failed (we were at a family reunion with very sketchy internet) and I had to reset the tickets. I guess on the time that I actually got through I had entered the wrong dates. Instead of leaving tomorrow, after the wedding, I put in today's date. But I didn't know this because after I purchased the ticket, I couldn't get onto my AA app. I didn't worry too much, I knew I had checked and double checked. Or so I thought.
So tonight, when my sister asked when I was coming in, I tried my AA app and it worked. Hallelujah. Only, it said, your flight departs in three hours . . .
What? No. that's wrong. IT departs in 27 hours . . . right?
No.
It departed tonight.
I honestly sat in the car fro 25 minutes not able to breath. How could this have happened?
Because, it turns out, I am a total idiot. I do not read. I do not double check. I trust I did it right the first time.
I couldn't move. I had no idea what to do. I looked up how much it would cost to change the flights and it was close to $800.
I couldn't miss the wedding.
I couldn't not be there with my mother.
This conundrum . . . this is regret. This is sorrow. This is wishing so bad that you will wake up and find it's a bad dream.
I literally had nothing. No idea. And so, do not laugh, I bowed my head and prayed my little heart out. What did I pray for most of all? That there would be some way I could possibly do both. And that my friend would forgive me and that John would not kill me.
Just then John opened the garage door and looked at me. I swear he knew something was wrong. So I told him. Instead of getting so mad at my stupidity (which would be sooo justified), he just set to work solving the problem.
It took us three hours, it's not ideal, but I will both get to go to the ceremony (missing the reception, which sweetest Phoebe said she will fill in for me . . .and be, to be honest, better than me . . .and send me a thousand one one pictures and let me facetime her) AND be there for my mother. I come in at a bazaar time, but at least I get in.
I'm still not sure my friend will forgive me, but I'm so glad I'll get to be there for the part that means the most . . . watching those two join their lives together. That's the part I couldn't stand to miss.
Sometimes, even though they aren't answered just like we wanted, our prayers are answered. And so I'm saying THANK YOU. And now . . . I'm going to bed.
I am also needed in Florida to keep my mother company while my father is off building bridges for indigenous people in Panama. I am honored and delighted to be able to help and be with her.
So, in order to be both places, I carefully searched for tickets which would let me be with my mother and also be part of this beautiful wedding. I thought I found them three weeks ago and could not be happier about them. When I was purchasing them, twice, the internet failed (we were at a family reunion with very sketchy internet) and I had to reset the tickets. I guess on the time that I actually got through I had entered the wrong dates. Instead of leaving tomorrow, after the wedding, I put in today's date. But I didn't know this because after I purchased the ticket, I couldn't get onto my AA app. I didn't worry too much, I knew I had checked and double checked. Or so I thought.
So tonight, when my sister asked when I was coming in, I tried my AA app and it worked. Hallelujah. Only, it said, your flight departs in three hours . . .
What? No. that's wrong. IT departs in 27 hours . . . right?
No.
It departed tonight.
I honestly sat in the car fro 25 minutes not able to breath. How could this have happened?
Because, it turns out, I am a total idiot. I do not read. I do not double check. I trust I did it right the first time.
I couldn't move. I had no idea what to do. I looked up how much it would cost to change the flights and it was close to $800.
I couldn't miss the wedding.
I couldn't not be there with my mother.
This conundrum . . . this is regret. This is sorrow. This is wishing so bad that you will wake up and find it's a bad dream.
I literally had nothing. No idea. And so, do not laugh, I bowed my head and prayed my little heart out. What did I pray for most of all? That there would be some way I could possibly do both. And that my friend would forgive me and that John would not kill me.
Just then John opened the garage door and looked at me. I swear he knew something was wrong. So I told him. Instead of getting so mad at my stupidity (which would be sooo justified), he just set to work solving the problem.
It took us three hours, it's not ideal, but I will both get to go to the ceremony (missing the reception, which sweetest Phoebe said she will fill in for me . . .and be, to be honest, better than me . . .and send me a thousand one one pictures and let me facetime her) AND be there for my mother. I come in at a bazaar time, but at least I get in.
I'm still not sure my friend will forgive me, but I'm so glad I'll get to be there for the part that means the most . . . watching those two join their lives together. That's the part I couldn't stand to miss.
Sometimes, even though they aren't answered just like we wanted, our prayers are answered. And so I'm saying THANK YOU. And now . . . I'm going to bed.
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