The biggest nightmare of my adult life:

This actually happened a few weeks ago.... and really, reading it is probably going to feel like watching a train wreck in slow motion - especially because its so long! But this one needs to be remembered - after all, I'm sure we'll all be laughing about it someday....maybe.

Once upon a time Brittany, Brent and Jason flew to Florida for a few days and they asked me to pick them up from the airport on their return trip. "We'll get in at 11PM" is what I heard, so what I understood was "Our flight gets in at 11, but then we'll have to get our checked baggage and everything - Oh and PS - flights are always a bit late so basically, we'll be on the curb ready to go around 11:30." I don't know why my brain interpreted that simple 5 or 6 word sentence as all of that, but it sure did.

SO..... I was sitting around doing homework and starting to think about leaving for the airport in about an hour-ish (so I could be there right at 11 like a good brother) when a good friend called me having a quarter life crisis. They really needed someone to talk to and wanted a blessing. "No problem," I thought to myself - "after all, Brit and Brent probably won't be out on the curb until 11:30 ish anyway." So, off I go to my friends house at almost 10:00.

For the next 1/2 hour this person cried - nope - sobbed - on my shoulder about why they were so frustrated / confused with life. I just put my arm around them - what else could I have done?! I felt really bad! I wanted to be a good listener, but at the back of my mind I knew that I really needed to get going. Eventually we made it back to my house where a few of my roommates helped me give a blessing. My friend really didn't want to be alone at that point so they decided to come with me to the airport.

By now it was almost 10:40 and I figured if Brittany and Brent's flight didn't get in until 11, and they weren't out on the curb 'till 11:30, then they'd really only be waiting for me on the curb for 15 maybe 20 minutes. So I give Brent a call to leave a message explaining all of this when, to my dismay, he answered! "Hey! We just landed....blah, blah". I PANICKED! I gave them the brief version of what I just went through and said, "I'm going to be late.... sorry."

I'm pretty sure I was sick to my stomach the ENTIRE drive to the airport. I just knew I was going to get it, but at the same time I was trying to reassure my friend that, really, it was going to be ok, and they'd understand and all that.

We pull up to the curb at around 11:35 - pretty good time if you ask me. But by then Brit and Brent had been waiting for an hour. YIKES. As I drove up I saw their faces just fall even further and I knew I had done yet ANOTHER thing wrong. You see, before I left I didn't go trade my car with one of theirs because I was already late so we just took mine. Well, I had assumed that they took their car seat on their trip with them for my little nephew Jason. And they had assumed that I would bring their car - with the car seat in it. Needless to say, Brittany was slightly upset with me: "What are you doing!?! You'll have to go back and get it!" I. Felt. Like. Garbage. I was so completely torn! I've never felt like I've had to be 2 people at once and be in two places at the same time - believe me, it's not fun! Anyway, I ran into the car rental places to ask if we could rent a car seat - you have to rent A CAR to rent a car seat. I called airport security to see if they could help - nope! Why did I even think they'd be able to help in the first place!? Meanwhile my friend was calling their aunt to see where the closest Walmart was - she didn't know. Lucky for us unhelpful-car-rental lady called me back over to the counter and told me there was a Walmart in West Valley - not super far away.

So off we went to Walmart leaving Brittany and Brent in a cloud of dust. Of course we ran into road construction on the 20 minute drive between the airport and Walmart - of course. But we eventually found it and I bought this lovely...for 45$!

Perfect for my little nephew, right?! OK, ok, it was the first one I saw - I looked around for a non-pink one, but everything else was more expensive so I gave up. After buying it we spent the longest 5 minutes of my entire life trying to adjust the stupid straps so Jason would actually fit in it. They were set at the smallest setting - which I'm sure even a doll wouldn't fit in! Stupid.

By the time we got back to the airport it was now around 12:20. Two and 1/2 hours! They had been waiting for 2 and 1/2 hours! I honestly wanted to die. I just kept thinking, "oh man, Brittany was upset an hour ago - what's she going to be like now!?!?!" Apparently I drove up onto the sidewalk when I pulled up. I was just trying to get as close to them as possible... AND in my defense it was on the same level as the pavement - no curb whatsoever. How am I supposed to know where the sidewalk ends and the street begins? The parking enforcer guy was all getting up in my face over everything. I was severely annoyed but I moved my car anyway. Much to my surprise I was greeted by Brittany with a smile. I was blown away! I was fully expecting her to come at me with guns blazing. While we were at Walmart Jason had fallen asleep, which relieved a lot of stress for them I'm sure, and both Brittany and Brent had calmed down a lot. After Brittany strapped Jason in I gave her a hug and told her how sorry I was - I almost started crying I felt so bad! She just kind of shrugged it off and, again, I was blown away! Brittany's capacity to forgive is apparently HUGE.

So we all got in the car and I turn and say, "This is 'so-and-so' and they're the reason I'm late!" Hahaha! My friend took it well and we had a pleasant conversation until mostly everyone fell asleep and I was left alone to my thoughts. I just kept shaking my head in disbelief. Things definitely didn't turn out how I had envisioned - and boy am I glad. We didn't get back to Provo until just before 2:00 AM. Wow.

A few days later when I was repackaging up the car seat to return it I realized that we didn't even re-fasten the straps to the back of the car seat when we adjusted them. They were just flapping free in the breeze back there. UNBELIEVABLE! I couldn't help but chuckle. Why did we even go get it in the first place!? We might as well have just not had one because, had we gotten in a wreck, it wouldn't have done anything anyway. Then I felt really grateful that we got home safely! Don't tell Brittany.... oh wait, she'll probably read this..... I guess the truth should be known... I hope she laughs....

So through this all, this is what I've learned:

• Don't ever assume anything. EVER. I thought I already knew this one...apparently not.
  
• Ask questions to clarify EVERY point of question or confusion
  
• Forgiveness is amazing and I need to work on it
• I need to learn how to use car seats properly

THE END!

(finally!)