Don’t tell the hubs, but between you and me, I almost missed my flight today.
I haven’t been in the same room with my ToddlerFace in a coon’s age and while I’m teeming with joy, I still managed to move at a snail’s pace and cut it too close for comfort, actually more like pain-and-suffering-close! … Why do I always do that?
I had a 2:15pm flight to Memphis and at 12:53pm, I was still sitting in my car and following too close in Orlando’s lunch hour traffic, going nowhere fast, with my stomach literally in knots!
At 12:58, I made it to airport parking, and just as I arrived a shuttle pulled away! There were two shuttles, but somehow deep down, I knew the departing shuttle was the one I needed ... And it was!
The valet parking guy took my keys, pointed, and said, “Wait right over there for the next shuttle!”… Just what I didn’t want to hear!
As I dragged myself over to the waiting area, my head was spinning! “It’s 1:00, What if it takes 15-20 minutes for the shuttle to come back? What if we have to wait for all the “family travelers” to valet park their cars, load bags, and get seated? They’ll have lots of bags! What if the driver waits around for more riders to come? I’M GOING TO MISS MY FLIGHT! I’M DOOMED!”
I looked back at the parking guy that took my keys with terror in my eyes, thinking, “Should I ask the rental car people (on the other side) to drop me off? Would they do that? I’ll pay whatever! It’s going to take forever to get through security and catch the gate shuttle at MCO! I’m not gonna make it! I’ll be stuck behind children wearing backpacks and Mickey ears, holding Disney souvenirs! I don’t have time for this!” … then I turned back around, and said I quick prayer!
“Lord please don’t let me miss this flight! I can’t tell my husband I missed this flight!”
(Truth Moment: I’m a grown woman and at this point, tears are literally starting to well up in my eyes and I’m blinking them back!)
I looked down at my watch and it was 1:06… Only 6 minutes? It felt like an hour had passed!
I’m sweating and freaking out! Just as I was about to return to the service desk and beg, a shuttle returned! … It was my shuttle! ...Thanks God!
I look like I kicked puppy and the driver, Sergio, opened the door with a huge smile on his face! Before he could fully stand up from the drivers seat to help me, I literally ran onto the shuttle with my bag! He said with a smile, “Hi! What airline!” and I said, “Delta-what do I do if I’m about to miss my flight and cry?” (Yes, I literally said those exact words!) He stopped smiling, put his finger up and said, “Hold on, I go see!” I watch him out of the shuttle window. He walks halfway to the service desk and turns around to get back on the shuttle. (I’m thinking, NO!…SERGIO GO!!! Don’t come back to ask me anything, I don’t have time for this!) He gets on the shuttle, closes the door behind him, smiles and says,”I just take you! You be there in 6 minute!” Just like that, Sergio and I took off! …Thanks God!
Sergio got me to the airport in 5 minutes! The whole ride I squealed with delight and called Sergio my hero, my guardian angel, and my “chariot driver”! I know he didn’t understand half of what I was saying, but he kept smiling and said, “No problem!” Sergio pulled in, I thanked him again, hugged him, and he kissed me! (…on the cheek, which didn’t seem weird then, but now that I’m typing it…) No big deal, Sergio was old! At any rate, I jumped off the shuttle at about 1:14pm and ran like hell! (It was a poor performance as I returned to walking quickly a few seconds later… I’m out of shape!) But… Thanks God!
So I’m at the airport an hour before my flight! Sweet! Security was a breeze, there was almost no one there!… Who knew that no one flies at lunchtime!? … Thanks God!
Boarding starts at 1:35pm, I’m around the corner from my gate at 1:20, so I stopped at Starbucks! While in line, an Aussie (didn’t get his name but he said he was an Aussie) was spending his food voucher and didn’t want to waste it so he paid for my order and 2 others behind me before it ran out! There I stood with my Starbucks app open for scanning and he smiles and says, “It’s on me!” You could have knocked me over with a feather! … Thanks God!
It felt like friggin’ “Angels in the Outfield!” How could an almost tragic situation turn around so quickly and so PERFECTLY!??
Don’t know, don’t care, but all I can say is “Thanks God!” I’m off to see my CutieFace, blogging from 30,000 feet, and I’m over the moon… Well not really, but you get it!
#PrayerChangesThings
