Back in Dallas...

I know, some of you batgirls already read this, but I'm too lazy to be creative in a new post, and I'm sure someone somewhere will get a kick out of this. Or maybe they'll feel sorry for me and send some extra prayers to make this trip turn out to be really good. :)

Well, I made it to Dallas. Here's the whole awful story.

This morning, I woke up- cold is worse. I get my stuff together and get ready to go to the airport. My friend arrives to take me and I am rummaging through my bad, realize I have no ID. My license is missing. I tore apart my bag, the house, the car, and remembered the last place I had it was Monday at the bank. I call the bank. Oops, they've had it all along and put it in the mailbox this morning.

I was mad at myself for leaving it there, but I'm also pretty angry they'd hang on to someone's ID for so long and not notify them. I'd have never known until I got it in the mail.

I called the airline to see what I should do. She gave me a list of options of alternate IDs, none of which I have. I don't know where anything is. So I decided I'd get a duplicate driver's license, since theoretically, they have my ID and picture on file. I asked her what to do about my flight. She said not to worry, I could show up at the airport and fly standby, no charge, and that the rest of the flights were totally open. I asked if she wanted my reservation info to let them know what was going on. She said no.

My friend took me to Starbucks for therapy :) and he remarked that he was shocked that I hadn't cried, because most woman would have at this point. So far, I'm upset, but not so bad. Then I find out the DMV won't give me a duplicate ID without my birth certificate or passport. Guess what I don't have.

I called the airline back and explained what was going on, and asked what else I could do. I literally have no ID. She said they sometimes will let you do it with other documents and to bring them to the airport and see, that it was the airport's discretion.

I showed up at the airport with my marriage certificate and social security card, the only documents I have. The lady at the counter says it should work, but there's a problem. I didn't show up for my flight, so they canceled my reservation. If I want to go to Dallas, I have to buy a new ticket. Double what I'd paid in the first place. I explained to her what I'd been told on the phone. She told me that I must've not told them everything, because there's no way I can fly standby if I missed the original flight.

At that point, I started bawling. I seriously broke down and totally lost control. I've been looking forward to this conference for months. I have a meeting with the agent I'm hoping will represent me. I'm teaching a class. I can't not be there.

I found enough composure to ask for a supervisor. Twenty minutes later, they came out. The supervisor, I have to say, went above and beyond. She asked who I talked to, and of course, I didn't know. So she called the number and talked to their supervisor to try to find out and resolve this. She explained the situation and their supervisor said my story was right, that's what they tell everyone in my position, that as long as they fly out the same day, they can fly standby at no charge even if they miss the first flight. The supervisor argued for a long time on the phone with the phone supervisor because basically, their policies don't match and the people at the desk have no way of doing what the phone people are telling customers.

At this point, I started to ask God, "is this what you want?" I'd been praying for the whole situation, but I just wondered, with all these roadblocks, maybe I wasn't meant to go. The cool thing is that God answered the prayer right then and there with a, "Go!"

Finally, the desk supervisor got a code from the phone supervisor to use to override the system and get me on standby on a flight to Dallas. I got through security just fine, I had to do some extra tests to make sure I had no explosives and everything was hand-searched in addition to the x-ray, but it went smoothly.

So I am, after a very rough morning/afternoon/whatever, here in Dallas. I have never been so happy to be in Dallas. Whatever is happening here, it's big, and I'm pretty overwhelmed. My cold is worse, and I'm praying I'll be able to teach on Friday.

Now you've got the inside scoop too. LOL Nothing exciting, just another example that even when you think everything is falling apart, God is still there, taking care of it. And if I hadn't gotten into Dallas, He'd have had something else planned.

Okay, I'm off to bed now. I've got a session first thing in the am, but I've already told folks I'll probably be late, so save me a seat. :)