My full time job is still "Mom of 2 little ones." But I recently became employed part time with a company called ExploreLearning. It allows me to use my teaching experience and knowledge of math curriculum, and I'm able to stay current in the world of education and keep something on my resume. I'm a Certified Trainer, so they send me to train teachers to use their online "Gizmos." And sometimes, it involves travel. This week, I had the craziest trip that unraveled in such a way that I couldn't resist re-telling. I call it-
Canton Chaos
So everything started out fine. Boarded my flight in DFW with the bare minimum packed, a few good books, and the People magazine with wedding photos of Brangelina. We hit heavy turbulence that scared me quite a bit but it probably only lasted 5 minutes- which felt like a lifetime. We landed late and took forever taxiing which resulted in me sprinting to catch my connection in Chicago. Or so I thought. First I had to stand in line to wait on the shuttle that took me to a different terminal. Then I sprinted. Only to find that my flight was delayed due to mechanical issues. Scared to leave the gate and miss my chance to board, I dealt with the fact that a bag of peanuts would be my dinner. This flight was much more smooth, and the weather in Canton, Ohio was a breath of fresh air.
At 10:00pm I was renting my car and trying to find my way out of the airport, which was NOT clearly marked. And where were the streetlights?! Talk about a fish outta water. I was flailing like one, that's for sure. My GPS finally got me to my hotel destination (and I made a drive through McDonalds too!)
After an "only ok" nights sleep, I was looking forward to a hot shower to wake me up. Unfortunately, the "mysterious shower gremlin" had other plans. I turned the water on to the red/hot side, undressed, and went to check the water and turn the dial to get the temp just right. Only...the nozzle wouldn't turn! What? That can't be right. After using all my might, I tried turning the nozzle several times.....only confirming that my shower was stuck on steaming hot water. It would not budge. Calling the front desk and maintenance center didn't help, because both lines were busy. So I threw on my clothes, ran down to the front desk and told the manager my story. She came to check it out and said that the maintenance crew wasn't available yet. It was now too late for me to shower, so I gave up on that idea (especially since there was no other room in the entire hotel available). As my room continued to fill with hot steam (causing my naturally-curly-but-straightened-hair to frizz!) I decided to take my hair and makeup kit to the public bathroom to get ready for the day. And pray that my deodorant would do the trick! (Since perfume can't be packed in a carry-on bag!)
After breakfast, I made my way to the school where my training would take place. The morning went well from there. Lunch was just what the doctor ordered. And then...."Aunt Flow" decided to show up in the middle of my afternoon session! Luckily I was fully prepared (benefits of birth control!) and our scheduled break was perfect timing to run to the ladies' room. (Sorry if this is TMI for you. But we all know Aunt Flow has the potential to insanely ruin someone's day!) The training ended and I made my way to the airport with plenty of time before I was due to board my first flight. I devoured an Arby's sandwich (even though it was4:30) in preparation for what might be another close connection. And Lord knows I would need food in my tummy this time.
As I was sitting there, thinking everything was on schedule, my phone's Weather Alert beeps with a Tornado Warning. "Seek shelter" it read. Honestly, I didn't panic. I seriously almost laughed out loud. I knew that if there was an immediate threat, the airport would announce for us to seek shelter. And they didn't. They calmed us by telling us that the weather was off to the north and they were watching it closely. In fact, it didn't even cause a delay for my flight. But something had to....right? I mean, I wasn't gonna get off easy after the trip I've been on. And on cue, 15 minutes later, they announced that my flight was delayed due to mechanical issues.
My immediate thought was, "Well, I won't be getting home tonight. No way I can make my connection now! No possible way!" As the line formed at the info desk with people having the same issue, I sat still. I called my hubby to tell him my next piece of "good news." He suggested that I go to a different desk, because any of them can help me. So I wandered to the gate just 200 feet away and patiently waited my turn. Little did I know that they had just finished boarding a flight to Atlanta. It was my turn, and I told the girl my situation. She was typing furiously and then asked if I wanted the 9:00 flight to Dallas out of Atlanta. (My original connection was supposed to be in Detroit) I said yes! She printed my new boarding passes and told me to run! The flight attendants were literally closing the doors to the plane as I ran up to it. Imagine your favorite "winning" movie scene- you know, one with victory music and a champion celebrating his win in slow motion. That was me.
You see, I started the day thinking "someone is out to ruin this for me....and I'm not going to let them!" That morning, the hotel manager was super surprised that I was nice to her and that I was completely understanding about the shower situation. In fact, I told her that I was worried about all the hot water being wasted. Aunt Flow couldn't ruin it. Tornadoes couldn't even ruin it. It's all because I chose to TRUST my Savior today. You see, I opened my Bible App at breakfast, and the verse of the day was Romans 15:13. "I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." Amazing, isn't it? I knew the Holy Spirit was with me- no matter what was going to be thrown my way. He's always with me, because I earnestly ask Him to be.
I know my story may seem like a list of First World Problems to you. They may seem trivial compared to what you and your family is going through. But in any and all situations- no matter how big or how small- God is there for you. He will carry you through. My mom has a now-semi-famous saying. She has used it to end her daily announcements at every school she has been a principal for. "Make it a great day or not. The choice is yours."
