Adventures out West

Well, last week (10/18 - 10/21), my boyfriend and I went to Arizona. I'm sure everyone is like Ang, why are you blogging about this.... ya'll, I always have a story to tell.

So, I drove to Birmingham to meet Chris. We decided that B'ham would be the best airport to fly in and out of because of where we both were driving from. We left my car at his grandmother's and drove to the airport. We got there in plenty of time to go through security (no one is flying out on a Thursday afternoon). I was nervous! I haven't flown since April and when I did, I checked my bags. Chris and I carried everything on. Well, everything was fine. I didn't get carted off by TSA nor did I make the national news, like I was kidding about with some friends.

Chris and I were sitting in a restaurant, talking and whatnot, and decided it was close enough to boarding time that we could go and wait. We both decided to use the bathroom before getting on the plane. The ladies restroom was closed so I had to walk farther down. Just as I was walking past our gate, I hear both our names being paged. I just groaned and thought, please, tell me this is a joke. So, I walk to the gate (irked I wasn't able to go to the bathroom and that they called for final boarding like....15 minutes early) and we were literally the last two people on the plane. We get to Dallas early, obviously; however, taxed FOREVER and we were delayed about 20 minutes, I think, before finally getting off because they couldn't find someone to bring that thing that connects the plane to the terminal so everyone can walk off (I know there is a proper term for it, but that's how I describe it). Well, Chris and I stop at Starbucks and we eat at Chili's because we had about a 2 hour layover. We find out our flight had been delayed into Tucson, which wouldn't have been a problem but the car rental place closed at 12 and with the delays...we were pushing it. The take off time kept getting pushed back and pushed back. Finally, we boarded and took off. We arrived shortly before 11:30. Chris grabbed my suitcase (his got put in the very back of the plane) and went to the car rental place. I just followed behind him and eventually found where I needed to be. I tweeted that night "Just wondering around Tucson's airport trying to find my boyfriend. Whatever. Lol!" haha. We were able to get the car. I know ya'll are sitting at the edge of your seat, wondering if Chris got there in time ;) Well, he did...and it was a beauty. A Grand Marquis.

That was just getting there....

So, I finally went to bed around 1 a.m. Chris had to be at the tennis courts at 6:45 that morning. Not much sleep was to be had by all that night.... We had to leave around 6:30 a.m. So, that meant getting up at 5:30. But it was a good day regardless! I got to meet his tennis team and some of their girlfriends / family members. His team played very competitively and even played a match against the team who won the entire tournament. Chris is really good at tennis and I enjoyed spending the two days watching my boyfriend play some tennis (he was there for a national tournament). I haven't really spent much time watching tennis in recent years. I mean, I used to go with my dad to his tennis matches or his tournaments or I will watch it with him when it's on TV. I played for fun in college, a few times, but I'm not very good. So, I enjoyed watching my boyfriend play and learning more about it :) 

Saturday, after Chris' match, we drove to Phoenix to see my aunt, uncle, and cousins. It was so nice to see them :) We watched the Alabama game at their house and ate dinner with them. Chris hadn't met my cousin, Tori, yet so I really wanted him to meet her! I don't get to see them much, so I was very thankful for the chance to hang out with them for a few hours!

Well, Sunday...we didn't have to do anything before we left! He did some laundry, I started to study for my class...we checked out of the hotel at 12 and returned some stuff Chris had got at Target that he didn't use. Then he took me to Macy's because he knew I had wanted to stop there since we don't have one in Decatur / Huntsville :) We also got to eat at In-N-Out Burger. It was so good! 

We got to the airport to return the rental car and went through security with no issues (haha, I was still paranoid about that! STILL!). So, Chris had some of his teammates on the same flight to Dallas and we were all sitting there talking and whatever. The flight was overbooked and they kept offering vouchers to people. We were all able to board and Chris and I were some of the last people on the plane. So, we put our suitcases in some of the first overhead bins we could find (remember, the flight was overbooked). Well, Chris and I are sitting there, chit chatting and talking to his teammates who are sitting close by. All of a sudden, one of the flight attendant comes up to us and out of no where starts going off on Chris. She was so angry that he stored his suitcase a few rows in front of where he was sitting. She went on and on about how he was suspicious, how she was watching him from the moment he got on the plane, how she wanted him to explain to her why he put his suitcase up there, how this was food for thought, how she wasn't calling him out (Chris, at that point, was like oh, you're not calling me out?), but then said she was...it was so WEIRD! Finally, another flight attendant came to see what on earth she fussing at Chris about and they walked away. Thankfully, that flight attendant left us alone for the entire flight. I would have punched her in the face if she had said anything else, lol. 

Well, we get to Dallas and had about 30 minutes to kill before we boarded our other flight (to BHM). We ate at TGI Friday's with some of Chris' team. When we got to our gate, haha, Chris and I were actually late and were about to be paged...again! We sit down in our seats and I started studying and Chris is snackin' on food or doin' something... Well, this girl sitting across and up a row from us all of a sudden starts talking to us. She sees Chris has an Alabama hat on and kept talking about Alabama and Bama this and EVERYTHING. For one hour and forty-five minutes...this girl talked constantly...lol! She even said Chipper Jones is a jerk in real life and he hits his wife. Now I don't think that's true, but...that's what she said! She told us we had to watch the Giants play Monday night and informed us of movies we needed to watch and books we needed to read. She asked Chris if I was his wife. When he said that I was his girlfriend, her response was, "That's so sweet!" lol. She asked me how old I was and then asked if Chris was the same age. We found out her entire life story. Chris faked sleeping a few times...I buried my face in my textbook. haha! We laughed about it when we got off the plane in Birmingham. And we were still laughing about it when we talked on the phone Monday night. 

When we were walking to his car, I told him I was never flying anywhere with him again....but I was kidding ;) I enjoyed tagging along and cheering him on last weekend! 

So, after one more weekend trip...I think I am done traveling for a while! I have to concentrate on this class! I need an A...my GPA needs an A :) So, those reading this, please pray. 

Blessings From a Car Repair (Yes, really)

God is pretty neat - just going to start out with that. 

For those who don't know...my family has the worst trouble with cars and it's rubbed off on me. Usually what seems like a minor repair ends up costing me a million dollars (okay, not really! But it definitely feels like it). For example, two winters ago, I hit some ice and bumped (slammed...) into a curb. I thought my car was out of align. No, ohhh...no. I ended up replacing 3 tires, a hub cap, and tie rods. Do you know how much that costs? And just from hitting a curb? Not even a year ago...my clutch went out. Like, really? I had to get a tow from my work! I ended up telling my coworkers I couldn't pay my bills and my car was getting repossessed :D They didn't know whether to believe me or not....so they stopped making fun of me (Winner! Besides, I work with all men...so they pick on me constantly! I probably deserve it though)

Well, last week, my car started acting up. It would just die when I wasn't giving it gas. So, the next morning, I was telling one of my coworkers about it and we looked at my car. He kind of figured out what was wrong so I knew what to tell the mechanic when I took my car in. That night, after church, I dropped it off at the shop. I get a call the next morning and they had figured out what was wrong and the mechanic told me how much it was going to cost to get the part. I stopped listening and just started crying. I totally went all Ang on the situation. "I hate cars. I hate driving. I have the worst luck. Why. Why. Why!!!!" (I can't stop laughing at myself right now). I texted my boyfriend and told him about it and, of course, he's very level headed. Very calm. Very everything I'm not in a situation like this, haha! He told me to call back, get a part number, he'd look for one cheaper. He's so sweet, right? ;) I didn't really want to call back (I despise talking on the phone), but I did. Anyway, I kind of understood a little bit more of what the mechanic was telling me - seeing how I wasn't in tears this time (is anyone else laughing as hard as I am?). 

To make a long story short....I called the mechanic yesterday to check on my car and he told me that he was able to find the part for much, much less than what he originally quoted me. This time, I cried for happiness. I mean, can anyone else relate? I've had enough car breakdowns to keep somewhat of an emergency car fund, but still! I'm in grad school now...and I extremely dislike car repair!!!! :)

I was also very, very convicted about not really praying about this as I should have. I just prayed that I would have the money to cover the bill and He did give me that. But God went above and beyond. That's so humbling! It also caused me to reflect on the amazing people and things He's given me or let me experience within the past year. I guess a little car repair isn't so bad.... :)