Yesterday......the Pain....and the Laker ball

Yesterday my morning started off with a 40 minute walk with my friend. Mind you he works out almost everyday, and he runs to and from the place where he works out at. Personally I have not gone for a walk since like last year. After the walk I knew Alex had to be at a camp in Oxford. I had been on Alex to get all the information he needed. He was told to report at 12:30. I told him to call the AD there and low and behold registration started at 10:30 and the camp started at 12:30.

So at 11:00 we get on this mad rush to the college, which is about 50 minutes away. We get there and my legs are throbbing and they feel like silly puddy. I meet some coaches, I really don't get there names. To be honest I didn't care because my legs and feet are telling me to sit down somewhere like maybe in one of those thousands of seats in the gym. I am given a form to fill out for my son and I am ready to go home. My son has all he needs and I need some Alleve and a bed.

I ask one of the workers at the table where could I leave his belongings so he could take it to his room later and they suggested that I put his things in his room. I have never been on Miami's campus, how was I to know where to go? She tells me to go left and it dead ends to Hahne Hall. Huh? Did I tell you I have my younger son with me and the only thing on his mind is his Laker basketball?

By now I don't even know how I will take the next step. My ankles and calves are killing me but I take my son's belongings and with Ty we go to the car. I go out the driveway and turn left and I am waiting for a dead end. Fifteen minutes later I come back to the gym and I run into some football players who inform me that the residence hall I need is across the street from the driveway. For real? You mean go out and turn left and make an immediate right. She didn't say that! I find the residence hall and I parked diagonally in the first space I saw, the comforter is unfolding, the bags are extra heavy now and I discover I have to walk up a hill to get to the entrance.

Once inside the lobby I pray that the first floor starts with the 300's. Now I know that boy told me room 316. I climb the first flight not caring that the blanket is dragging the floor and Ty is still bouncing that darn basketball. Ten minutes later I get to room 316 and it is occupied. Not only that I realize you need an actual key to get into the room and all I have is a key card. Me and Alex need to talk! Oooo! I got words for him!

I am standing in the hall not able to move another inch. I just knew my left knee was going to completely separate itself from the rest of my body. Just one more step and the paramedics were on their way from the virtual screaming of my legs. Several feet in front of me stands the housekeeping person, her name was Pat. Go figure! I tell her my dilemma. Her first response to me was "You know we have an elevator?" NO I DIDN'T KNOW! HOW WOULD I KNOW? I didn't say that verbally. I just thought it loudly. I am standing by room 316 and directly behind me is the elevator door. Lord please give me the strength not to kill Alex!


Ms. Pat does some research and tells me Alex is staying in room 361. Which is the very last room on the other end of the hall. I know I had to look a mess. I was in agony carrying that completely unraveled blanket and the bags are now dragging on the ground. The Laker ball is on its way out the window if it bounces too many more times. I put Alex's things in his room and I have decided that once back at the gym I would give Alex his key card and key, that Ms. Pat gave me. I am so ready to go home. I don't how I am going to walk to the car. I know I am getting on that elevator though! I also know that when I step in that gym he will see me and tell someone he needs to get his things and off to home I will go.

As we are leaving the residence hall Ty spots a basketball court (OMG) and makes a mad dash with that Laker ball. I can't even write what I was thinking. This can't be happening to me. I can't take too much more. After some lying about coming back to play later, Ty gets in the car. We drive to the gym. After putting the car in park, I get out the car first and the lady next to me is getting out of her car too. As Ty gets out of the car in the same moment that the lady is putting her car alarm on, his ball rolls out of his hands and lands next to her tire underneath her car. I could have screamed!!!!!! Ty is crying, my legs are beyond painful and the lady walks past us not aware of what our problem is. Words could not even come out of my mouth to say anything to her. I inform my 3 year-old that he has to crawl under the car and get his own ball. Yeah I know, he had no clue what to do. Does he even know what crawl means you ask? But God in his miraculous power allowed the wind to blow the ball into Ty's hands as he is laying on the ground.

That is it. It is time to go. I walk up the steps to the gym ready to give Al all of his keys and ........this ain't even possible.....I know God loves me...but this is too much. Al is actually on the court playing basketball and they will not have a break for another 20 minutes. Unbelievable!!!! I find a seat, and in a very slow and painful manner I sit down. Only God knows how I will get up. Ty and I watch the game as he holds on to that darn Laker ball for dear life. Eventually Al comes and gets his things and I begin to climb the steps so that I can go down another set of steps, in an attempt to get closer to my car. Once I reach the set of stairs to go down I hear a small voice say "You need some help mama?" I could not help but to burst out into laughter. It is now obvious, after several hours, to my toddler that mommy needs some help. I now wonder what it looked like to the rest of the people in the gym? lol