Getting ready in a hotel always proves to be somewhat of a challenge as we have three ladies all vying for outlets and mirrors.
I got up first and got mostly ready - just dried my hair and got dressed - put on sandals from the day before because they were more comfortable than my matching shoes. No makeup. I was out of town, so I did not care.
I grabbed a few dollars and went in search of a Coca-Cola (we got in really late and slept right on through that free continental breakfast), and began the walk of shame to the front desk to ask for a complementary toothbrush. I packed the small tube of toothpaste that I had received in my little goody bag from the dentist at my last cleaning, but left the big tube at home for my Prince to use. Yet somehow in that thought process, instead of putting my toothbrush in my bag, I put it back in its proper place. So I was at the mercy of the front desk for a toothbrush. I stopped by the ice and vending room hoping to find a vending machine, but instead found only an ice machine and a worker restocking a linen closet. I said a quick ”Good morning” to him and turned around to make a hasty retreat lest he have time to register my Sunday dress, casual sandals that did not match, undone hair and no makeup face presentation.
I got to the elevator and pushed the button. And waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, giving up on the elevator, I found the stairs - at the opposite end of the hallway from out other end of the hallway room, and made my way to the lobby. I waited my turn and asked the lady at the desk for a toothbrush. She said, “Just one?” I don’t make a habit of collecting hotel quality toothbrushes, nor do I make a habit of using more than one toothbrush at a time, and since I was the only one standing there, I found her question a little baffling, but answered her kindly nonetheless, “Yes ma’am, just one please.” Then I asked her where I could get a water, seeing only Pepsi products in the cooler. She reached under the counter and gave me a bottled water. No charge. Yay! Happy day!
Back upstairs, in our room at the end of the hall, I tried to find the best place to do my hair and makeup as the girls were taking turns in the bathroom. Did I mention that the little entry hall light did not work? When we turned it on, the bulbs barely glowed. The only other light in the room was a small lamp at the desk, and a small bedside light. Y’all. It was like trying to get ready in a cave! I even used my phone flashlight to get a little more light. All to pretty much no avail.
Meanwhile…the Youngest Princess comes out of the bathroom proclaiming that the shower about blew all the skin off of her body. See, at home, we don’t have the greatest water pressure. In fact, if someone is showering and anyone anywhere else in the house uses any water, chances are high that the shower will cut off due to lack of water pressure. The Youngest Princess has taken to proclaiming when she is about to take a shower and reminding all of us not to use the water while she does. Not even a drop. I’m serious. She’s serious. We call her the water police. No lie. So for her to come out complaining about the water pressure was not surprising, but the fact that she was complaining about it being too strong definitely was a surprise. But in her defense, I too, had found it quite strong. I had even attempted to change the setting on the shower head but could not get it to budge. So I just resigned myself to the fact that it was more of a pressure wash than a shower and carried on.
The Youngest Princess also used the in-room hair dryer. Her comment after that experience was that it blew with about as much power as a butterfly flapping its wings.
Meanwhile the Oldest Princess made no comments. She is not a morning person.
We had to check out of the hotel a couple of hours before the wedding, so we had some time to make another Target run. I know. I know. You all are shocked. I was able to find a dress that I had been keeping an eye on, and it was on sale. Woo hoo!!
We stopped at another little store that we don’t have where we live, and found a few little things. We had to buy some toys for C, because according to my Prince, he was really missing us. He loves his beaver by the way, and I think the stingray is growing on him.
Then it was time to go to the wedding. It was a beautiful wedding. Complete with a violinist (I always wanted one of my children to learn to play the violin). The Groom was handsome. The Bride was gorgeous. They both love the Lord and are seeking to honor and serve Him with their lives. A beautiful beginning for a sweet, young, godly couple. Congratulations to CJ and MB! The new Mr. and Mrs. MB!
We went to the gym for the reception. We knew no one, except the bride and a couple of the bridesmaids, and they were all still taking pictures. The oldest Princess found some college friends and chatted and the Youngest Princess and I aka “the Wedding Crashers” awkwardly waited this part out. The introvert in me had to fight the urge to go wait in the car. But I really did want to congratulate the Bride and Groom and see one of the bridesmaids that we had gotten to know well as she was one of the Oldest Princess’s college buddies.
The wedding party arrived, and we had a good time catching up with the bridesmaid that we knew. She gave us the inside scoop on some of the things that went awry…bridesmaids forgetting their sashes, some getting there with mismatched shoes etc. Things the average wedding attendee would have known nothing about without the inside scoop. Honestly. We never would have known. Except that I did notice that the Groom’s ring slid on his finger very easily. But that is not my story to tell. And no matter what little things did not go exactly as planned, they are just as married as if everything had gone off without a hitch.
The Bride greeted the Oldest Princess with a hearty, “Freshman!” A tribute to the humorous way they met. The Bride has a thing for nicknames. In fact the bridesmaid’s gifts were bracelets with the Bride’s special nickname for each one on theirs.
We visited for a few more minutes, and let the Oldest Princess catch up with the girls, and then we decided it was time to head back home. As much as we all hated getting back in the car.
We did some “between the acts” quick changing, from wedding attire to travel attire. We made an uneventful Chick-fil-a drive thorough stop and then got on our way. Did you notice how we managed to get Target and Chick-fil-a in both days during our adventure? Didn’t want you to miss that.
On our way home we were able to get a better picture of our sister water tower. We would have stopped and taken pictures at the water tower, but it was raining.
The girls were able to get a Starbucks as well. The Youngest Princess had been asking for one since we left the day before.
Praise and Worship music was the soundtrack for the trip home. I finished the book I was reading and started a new one. At one point the Oldest Princess made reference to a Boa Constrictor, and we laughed as we remembered Shel Silverstein’s poem about being eaten by a Boa Constrictor. If my Prince had been there he would have made up his own lines…”Oh hankle, It’s up to my ankle! Oh flip, it’s up to my hip!” But for the most part, the ride home was calm and uneventful.
We got to the Oldest Princess’s apartment, where my Peince was meeting us to switch cars, and when the Oldest Princess parked she parked next to a tree. The Youngest Princess was attacked (whopped in the forehead) by said tree as she was in a mad dash to get out of the car.
We helped the Oldest Princess get her stuff in and had a potty break before going the last hour home. I was ready to go home and get in bed, knowing Sunday was going to be a busy day. But my sweet Prince was watching Tennessee baseball, and they were about to win the game. So we had to wait until the last pitch, swing, strike! And then we could go home.
It was a long, short trip, but I enjoyed my time with my girls. May this not be the first and last trip of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Wedding Crashers. And congratulations again to the new Mr. and Mrs. MB! Thank you for letting us crash your wedding!
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