Little did I know just what obstacles lay ahead and what surprises lurked around every corner as I prepared to embark on this exhilarating adventure called Ms. Wheelchair America. After all, this was the event I had been preparing for since the start of my reign, so all the hard work of getting ready for this momentous occasion was about to pay off and it would be smooth sailing from here on out, right? Now, where would be the "fun" in that? 😉
Day 1: Air Travel is ALWAYS an Adventure!
The theme for this adventure quickly became expect the unexpected as our best laid plans were put on hold almost immediately, reminding me once again that even though we plan our ways, it is the LORD who directs our steps! Everything was going great as we made it to the airport in record time and breezed through security (I can't help but think that my crown and sash had something to do with that 😊.) Not only that, but as we got to our gate and settled in for the 2 hours remaining until our estimated departure, a gentleman offered to treat us to an oatmeal cookie, coffee and orange juice simply because Mom asked him how much a cup of coffee cost.
We had no idea yet just how grateful we would be for this man's kindness, as our little adventure took an unexpected turn and our flight out of MCI was delayed another 2 hours due to a mechanical failure and we weren't even flying with Delta! This meant that our 2 hour and 12 minute layover in Chicago's O'hare airport was now shortened to 15 minutes, not counting the extra time it takes to retrieve a 300 pound power chair from the cargo hold of the plane. Needless to say, there was no way we were going to make our connecting flight into Grand Rapids, but that's no problem because we could just come in on a later flight, right? WRONG! As it turns out, the remaining flights into Grand Rapids were all booked solid until Tuesday morning! So, now what do we do? We had two options: one, we could be put on standby for a 3:05 pm flight, with no guarantees as to whether they would have a spot for both of us or we could switch to United and fly into Muskegon, not even landing until 6 pm, which meant we would miss the majority of the contestant orientation for MWA. Neither of those options sounded very promising and, in the end, we had no choice but to take the flight into Muskegon. Thankfully, Carrie's dad graciously offered to pick us up from that airport and take us to the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel; however, the "fun" was just beginning 😉.
Not only did it take an extra looong time to retrieve my chair from the plane once again (Personally, I think someone decided to take it for a joy ride while we weren't looking), when we got to the baggage claim area, my suitcase was nowhere to be found! After some digging, we discovered that the suitcase had been transferred to the Grand Rapids airport. At least it was in Michigan, right? How hard would it be to deliver it to the hotel for us? Plus, the person helping us assured us it would be there by midnight, so, assuming all would be well, we FINALLY made our way to the hotel and boy were we ready, especially considering all we had eaten up to this point was an oatmeal cookie and a bag of chips; however, by the time we actually reached our destination it was well past dinner time and even though they had so graciously saved some food for us, we opted for a pizza instead and h headed to our room. I was so glad I had decided to pack pajamas and a couple extra outfits into my carry on! The only thing that I didn't have with me that I needed for the first night was my charger because it was in my checked bag.
Day 2: Still no luggage
The concierge was gracious enough to place some calls for me, but I had to make a choice between sitting on the phone for who knows how long just to discuss my missing luggage and miss out on yet another activity or I could let Mom handle the luggage and go have some real fun with my MWA "sisters." Needless to say, it was a "no brainer" for me 😉 and, besides, Mom wasn't all that interested in painting anyway. As our group was strolling back to the hotel after lunch, Mom still had not heard anything about my suitcase, and, at this point, some of the ladies, whom I had just met, were even offering to let me borrow some clothes and a charger if I needed them! That was the first time I realized just how much of a sisterhood we all were becoming and that no matter what, we were going to have each other's backs, which was very comforting to me! Long story short, Ms. Wheelchair Florida, made a phone call for me and I had my luggage by 3:30 pm that afternoon! God is good ALL the time!!!
So, as I reflect back on these obstacles that have been overcome, and prepare to face those that are sure to come in the future, I can say without a doubt, "Never give up, there's always a way!" Jesus Himself tells us that in this world, we WILL have tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world!!! That is why I choose joy! That is why I am an overcomer! Who's with me?!
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