nationals...day 3 competition day: arriving

Friday morning, the day that Mary competed, we woke up to a loud knock on our hotel door.

It was Mary's coach, and she was coming to pick up Mary to take her to the Event's Center.

I flew out of bed with the horrible realization that

WE SLEPT IN!!!!
(insert scene from Home Alone where parents wake up in a panic from sleeping in)

I had set my alarm the night before, but I didn't realize that I had set it to go off on three days of the week.  Friday was not one of those days.

I threw the door open, and in a complete panic told Mary's coach that we slept in.

Her face said it all.

Shock, mixed with disbelief, mixed with complete panic, mixed with even more shock.

We were supposed to have been up an hour earlier, eaten breakfast, had Mary's hair done up, had her leotard and warm-ups on, and have time for her to mentally prepare, before her coach came to get her.

um...yeah.

Mary threw on her leotard while I was frantically throwing her hair on her head and feeling so upset that we would not be able to do her cute hair do that she had all planned out.

While I was getting Mary's hair done, and Mary was trying to pull herself together, her coach was following us around trying to tell me how to get there, where I had to meet them, how I could get in, and all of the details that were extremely important, but that I was to panicked to hear. 

There was no time for breakfast, or a pep talk, or even for Mary to get her warm-ups.  I just gave her a fast hug and a kiss on the head as she ran out the door with her coach.

The door shut behind them, as I was frantically throwing clothes on and trying to do my makeup and hair.  I am sure I looked like a complete wreck, but I did what I could do in 5 minutes and flew out the door...leaving my hotel keys, Mary's warm-ups, my directions, my phone charger, and most of my mind behind.

I pretty much shouted to Siri into my phone to take me to the Events Center...NOW!  She casually took her time finding the place, and calmly told me where to go.  I felt like stabbing her eyes out, if she had any.

I peeled out of the parking lot, and drove like a mad woman...in circles.  Oh yes, Siri took me everywhere BUT the Events Center. 

By the 5th U-Turn I was crying, praying, shaking, and yelling at Siri.  I finally called Mary's coach, and by some miracle she answered and told me how to get there, and told me to hurry.  Believe me Bev...I was hurrying.

I finally found the event center, and then realized that I was going to have to find parking in downtown Fort Worth.  I literally hit my head on the steering wheel, and while I was there, I prayed for help.

I lifted my head up, and seriously, right smack in front of me was a sign pointing to the parking garage!  I flew into the parking garage, and by some miracle I was able to back in to a parking spot with the big, huge, Texas, pick up truck.  I didn't have time to wait for the elevator, so I sprinted down three flights of stairs, across the street and over to the building, where I was told to go around to the other side.  I sprinted to the other side, and to my horror, the line of people waiting to get in stretched around the building.  Then I remembered that Bev, Mary's coach, had given me a coaches pass, and it was hanging around my neck.  I took off at a dead sprint to the side doors, blew past a security guard holding my badge, and into the building.

I had made it!

I was a complete wreck in every way, but I had made it...with 3 minutes to spare.  I spent those three minutes praying and praying and praying that somehow Mary would be able to feel comfortable, calm and collected after our crazy, rushed morning, and that no matter what happened, she would feel confident and happy about how she did that day.  I immediately felt a huge rush of peace wave over me and knew that Mary was, and would be,  just fine.

God is good.