Oh the things we get ourselves into :)

So I'm not sure you're going to believe this actually happened. But it did. To me. Today.

I hopped off the interstate after my hour commute home and headed to Walmart to get my shopping done.  I should have gone days ago, but I didn't and today felt like a day to get things done. I was excited when I remembered I needed an oil change, so I planned to get 2 birds with one stone and get my oil changed while I did my shopping.

Dropped off the car, headed inside Walmart and got my shopping done in record time. Even picked some great cereal! I got in a fast self-checkout line and whizzed through.

Until it asked me to pay.

I looked in my bag and didn't see my wallet anywhere. I shuffled things around, and still nothing. Then. I remembered. I remembered right where I left my wallet at work in my office. Man.

So in full panic mode, I think of what I should do, and then I see my checkbook! Thank goodness. So I run up to the girl working the self-checkout help desk, and she was super sweet. My story made her smile and she said "oh girl, you're so lucky you carry your checkbook!" Agreed.

So she processed my check and then asked to see my ID. What? I just told her I didn't have a wallet. But apparently it doesn't matter how fun or pathetic your story is: you have to have an ID to use a check.

So I asked her to set my basket aside and told her I'd be right back with cash. I knew maybe had some at the house so I'd run and get it and be right back.

Except that my car was getting an oil change. Wait, nope my car was done getting an oil change, but they weren't going to let me drive off in my car without paying for the oil change!

So I was literally stuck at Walmart. Money in my bank account, debit card at work, cash somewhere, checkbook in hand, and still no way to pay for anything.

At least I had my phone... So I called my friends, and then called more friends. And leave it to Curtis and Lauren to come to my rescue. 'Bail me out' of Walmart Auto Center, and accept my gratitude and a check (without an ID) in return.

I cannot tell you where I'd be without my friends here in East Texas. Well, actually I'd be in Rockwall lost or at Walmart stuck.

But for those of you who may have think this post is complaining, or the last post depressing... I love my life. I was laughing while I was crying lost in Rockwall, and I was just giggling today in Walmart laughing at how humorous God is sometimes.

I pray and ask Him to draw me near to Him. I sing and say how I am prone to wander from him, and for him to bind me to him like a fetter. And I ask Him to grow me... and He does. He just has a great sense of humor doing it.

And I tell people all the time. I would rather have a hard life, have tough things happen and draw nearto the Lord, pray to him constantly, that one day I may look into his face and truly know Him. Rather than having everything work out perfect and forget I need Him, and see Him one day and just have barely scratched the surface of how wonderful the Lord really is.

Laura Story said it better. Check out this song. I love it. (but I can't promise it won't make you cry ;)

And laugh today. At yourself. At the fact that you lose things, or forget things, or are stuck at the Walmart sitting next to a stranger on a bench waiting for your friends to arrive with money so you can even leave...

Long day: Long story.

So yesterday was a day full of travel. Of sad and happy things, and hot and cold things, and rushing and waiting.

I started the day in the coziness of our Colorado cabin with the forecast a high of 63 and with a Lake City Bakery apple fritter, chocolate donut, and a pint of chocolate milk... but then also a dead marmot. We accidentally hit a marmot on our way to the bakery. I've mourned the loss, and although the marmot won't... we'll be okay.

I said goodbye to my hubby and then was the teary-eyed girl in the airport waiting behind an older couple that wasn't as accustomed as I was to the TSA regulations when moving quickly through security.

Hopped on the plane listened to a cat meow in the cargo bin all flight (which was hilarious), and spent a good few hours in Denver. I went to every terminal walking for exercise, bought lunch, realized the airport had free wi-fi, and made a little nest near my gate. Plane delayed another hour and I was cozy again.

Sat in my 1A seat at the front of the plan next to no one, then realized in the front of the plane there's no "underneath the seat in front of you" spot. So I reluctantly handed my bag over to the flight attendant to put in in her 'closet.' Flight attendant was funny, I got to watch her make all the coffee and everything and she even offered me a beverage after I woke up from my nap :)

Kyle's parents picked me up in Oklahoma to retrieve my car from Kyle's sister's wedding weekend-ness. And low and behold: not only did Kyle's parents put gas in my car, but they washed it, and cleaned it out, and even tried to oil my squeeky clutch. They bought me Arby's, mmm, and I was on my way to Texas.

Did I mention that someone left a sign on my car asking if I wanted to sell it? (I think not, I love my car. Of course they would want to by my 14-year old car that gets 35 mpg, lol).

The road went fast, and a few CDs helped me get through, and then I took a wrong turn out of Dallas and ended up in the wrong town, on the wrong side of town. I was unable to locate my Texas map (because it was in my suitcase), and the GPS was in Colorado.

After pulling over and crying because of exhaustion, the fact that I would get less than 6 hours of sleep before working the next day, and having left my sweet Kyle that morning... I called a friend and God Bless she helped me find the road home.

Lessons learned. I love my husband, my family, and his family and my friends that answer their phones late at night to direct me home. I learned that when going home from Dallas to home take 80 East from the loop to Terrell rather than 30 East. 30 East will just get you lost.  But Rockwall is super nice, and the back side of Terrell is super not nice (so go to the bathroom early if you're traveling 205).  Always take the map out of the suitcase. And if needed, pull over in a nice looking well lit neighborhood and cry.

Crying for a second always helps.

Lessons learned. :) Happy Monday.

Wedding Wedding!

So after the Kingsley vacation I headed up to Norman to meet Kyle for the Hess-Malthaner wedding! Woo woo. Got to do the bridesmaid thing, loved helping get everything ready for the wedding. Loved getting to see my husband again, and in a tux!

Kyle was excited to see me to... he kept taking pictures of me.

Had the best cake I've ever had at the bridal luncheon.

And I got to meet that sweet little niece of ours for the first time. Sure, maybe I was a baby hog... but I was making up for lost time.

Kyle and his little sis.. AKA the Bride!

Getting ready to go!

 

 

So I was walking past the man-dressing room and the boys said, "he come here, we need a girl." Hmm. Ends up, someone dropped off the boutineres and thought they would know how to put them on. Needless to say, they had no idea. So here's me, and the Groom!

So at the end of the ceremony I see my husband stuff something back into his pocket real quick. He was taking this picture, lol. (Did I mention it was after he 'good game'-ed the groom on stage...)

Landen, our nephew didn't quite make it through the ceremony...

Jennifer and Kyle's dad did a coreographed number, that was FABULOUS! Absolutely fabulous.

And did I mention Kyle got to ride, oops I mean help, by vacuuming using the zamboni vaccuum!

More of the Kingsley Family Vacay!

I promised more of the Kingsley family vacay... so of course. Here it is...

So we headed to the mall... coming from Middle of Nowhere Colorado and Middle of Nowhere East Texas, I was very overwhelmed with the number of people there!

Dad and Justin were overwhelmed with the number of knives, lol.

Then Off to SIX FLAGS!! Can you tell me and mom are related, lol... (she's on the far right).

I convinced the fam to ride the Carousel!

Love, love my mom.

Then the carnival guy convinced Justin to show his strength...

And then Dad beat him!!

Craziness and loads of fun. I really do just love my family! I hope you love yours... if not maybe you could come on the next Kingsley family vacation. :)

So We Were on Vacay...

In the last week I've had more fun than ever. Yep, my husband is still far away... but it was time for the KINGSLEY FAMILY VACATION!

Why all caps? Because last time we went on a vacation was 2007, and it was about time.  So for the next few days you get to hear all about it. The craziness, the funny stories that dad will wish I never told, our great deal on a fancy hotel, and of course SIX FLAGS!

Again, why all caps... because well, long story short: Every year when school let out the Kingsley fam would head to Houston for a day or 2 and go to Six Flags Astroworld. We have more stories from that place than you could imagine... then we got "too old" or "too busy" or something... and it shut down. So Six Flags vacation = the best ever!

More to come... but in the next few days Kyle's sister's getting married, I'm up in Oklahoma, meeting that new little niece, and flying to Colorado. AKA We'll be busy.

Enjoy:

The good ole Kingsley Kids.

It's hard to explain this one... I'll try later. But just imagine it's 100 degrees outside and there's a fan and cool water blowing from the left hand side of the picture...

Can anyone tell me and mom (AKA my twin) are related?

More to come... much more. And go ahead. Enjoy your family today! :)