Terrible, Horrible, NO-Good Bad Day that ended well.

What a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day I had today. It started out okay but when I went out to my car so I could go pick up Pam at the train station I found out that my battery was dead. I called my friend Ami, no answer, Stacie, no answer, called Ami again and this time she answered. She had just that moment arrived home. After hearing my predicament she said she would come over as soon as she could. Fortunately she just lives ½ km down the street. Then I knocked on my neighbor’s door and asked if they knew how to jump start a car. He said yes and he walked over about the time that Ami pulled up in her car. My car was under the carport and unable to be put into neutral so we could push it out. Ami’s car was too tall to go under the carport. So my neighbor brought his minivan over. My jumper cables were too short to reach his car by about 2 inches (just the positive cable) but fortunately he had a set that was just a bit longer and it worked. Yeah! Got the car started and headed into town.
Found the bus stop at the train station where Pam was coming in. Started to park, but for the first time in my years in Germany I actually saw meter maids (what exactly do you call a man who verifies that you have paid for parking?). Not just one but two roaming around and checking to make sure a valid park schein was in place. So I couldn’t just park and wait for her. I decided to drive around the parking lot and just as I turned I saw her – Whew, didn’t have to pay for parking or turn the car off (still thinking of the battery here).
We loaded up and headed to MTV (Mark Twain Village) base to pick up Caleb at the high school. When we got there I realized I didn’t have my ID card (left this in my jacket - the one I was wearing when we purchased the Vampire Kusse brotchen). Turns out you can’t sign someone into base without your ID card. I could do a manual look-up for me using my social security number but I couldn’t get Pam in with me. So the gate guard had me leave Pam there with him while I ran to the school to get Caleb. Fortunately the base that the high school is on is very small and fortunately, again, I got there about 3 minutes before school let out for the day. So I was able to pick up Caleb and get out of the school before the flood gates were released.
We went back and picked up Pam and headed to the base where Jared’s school is located. I was hoping and praying that they would let Caleb sign Pam in. We get to PHV (Patrick Henry Village) and walk to the information building. I ask him about Caleb signing Pam in and he asks how old he is. We tell him almost 15 and he responds that the age to sign someone in is 16. However, this nice man, goes ahead and lets us sign in Pam, does a manual look-up for me and allows us all to go through. As soon as the gate guard checks our written pass and waves me through the next gate guard waves me over and now we have to be BOMB CHECKED.
Oh my! So the three of us get out of the car, Caleb and I open all the car doors and I open up the hood. While I am opening the hood I break my fingernail all the way down at the quick. Ouch! At this point I just had to laugh… Nothing else that could be done.
All ended well, however, we got Pam safely to our home where we were able to order out Chinese and visit for the evening. What a crazy day!
So thankful that God was watching over me today and putting the right people in the right place at the right time. Thank you Lord!