TWO HOURS EARLY? The shortest competition experience we will probably ever have!!

Any of you that know me know I can be pretty flexible - but I like to have a plan. I am fine with plan B or C, sometimes we even get to plan Z. Sonny travels a lot unexpectantly for his job. It isn't that unusual for me to get a phone call or e-mail asking if it's a problem for him to be on a plane to x, y or z by that afternoon. Or to get one asking how much it would affect me if he didn't come home when expected. So I pretty much have a contigency plan in mind at all times :)

But today threw in a while new loop. We had JJ's bball tournament this weekend and Bethany's first dance competition. Bethany actually only had one routine because it was for a routine she was originally an alternate for and then got placed on the team. Her team competes later in the season!! Any of you in dance know that you find out the schedule the week of the competition. And the bball tourney schedule was all based on what games they won or lost. So based on those two things, and Sonny being ice fishing, I had about thirteen contingency plans for today. If JJ won and won then this would happen, if he lost and won then this, if he won and lost then this - you get the picture.

Bethany was supposed to dance at 4:34pm this afternoon. DanceXchange requires their dancers to be there 1.5 hours early - makes complete sense in case something goes wrong. I realized this morning if JJ won and played the 1:25 game I could actually watch it and even though it would be cutting it close we could still make it to Northrup by 3pm, as long as Bethany was dressed, make up and hair done before the game.

For once in my life I have to say - good thing JJ's team lost.

Because of that loss JJ played at 3:45 and his best friend's family was wonderful about helping out. So at 1:45 I was headed to pick up Jenna (one of the amazing 15 year olds at our studio) who was coming with me to help with Timothy, Jordan and Evelyn (Karla's cutie). My cell phone rings and it's Karla calling from the competition. She is calling to tell me they are running early and I say - no prob I am pickign up Jenna now and we are headed to the competition - we'll be there by 2:30 - earlier than what should have been necessary. I hang up thinking - "whew glad I am not watching JJ's game since there is no reception in the gym" - assuming the competition is like a half hour early.

So off we head to the U - as we are driving way further than I think we should be and I am about to call Karla (who has warned me the directions were goofed up) when she calls.
"Umm - I am just checking how close you guys are?" (keep in mind this is about 2:30 and Bethany is supposed to dance at 4:30!!!)
"we are on University but I think we went too far - wait - they aren't running TWO HOURS ahead are they????"
"uh - yeah!!"

Good grief!!! So we turn around take some scenic route back, almost run a red light, miss the turn because it isn't actually a turn, turn around, take some odd back streets, miss the next turn, start to pull into the parking garage, pull a u-turn and finally pull up in front!! ( Sorry Brenda - I promise I told Jenna not use my driving today as an example!!! :) Bethany by this time actually has her jazz shoes on under her tennis shoes. Bethany, Jessi, Jenna and Jordan jump out of the car and run into the building,

Next problem - Karla has already warned me that parking is a nightmare but I decide to try the garage right there - at this point I really could not care less how much is costs I just want to get parked and make it in to see her perform - I had warned her I didn't know if I would make it. As I pull into the garage I think "wait - I have Jordan - I can park in handicapped!" no luck! UGH - I drive to the next level - and miracle of miracles - there is a spot about four spots away from the elevator!! YAY!! I grab Timothy and we run for it!!

Usually when you walk into a competition there is a check in desk and they direct you to your dressing room. No check in desk, no one I know - ugh!!! I take a deep breath and think - I knwo Jenna is with her and can help her get her lashes on (the only thing she still needs to do) and I know Karla saw us pull up - so I am pretty confident she is where she is supposed to be. Jenna is amazing so I know she can handle Jordan. I really want Bethany to know I am there but I decide the best thing is to head towards the noise and just watch so I don't miss her.

I got to the back of the auditorium and ran into a couple DanceXchange mom's who offer to direct me to the dressing room but I am worried about missing the dance. I have just decided to go try to find Bethany when I look in and they come on stage!! YAY - didn't miss them!! And just to brag for a minute - Bethany blew me away that she could get on stage ten minutes after being thrown out of the car after being lost, and have that much composure!! Go girl!!! I was so proud of her!

You would think that would be it - but afterwards I walked up and down like 8 flights of stairs (carrying Timothy I might add) trying to find her and Jenna, Jessi and Jordan. Finally I found the three Js and Karla and Evelyn in the back corner of the auditorium and they knew Bethany had come in with her team to watch the next DanceXchange dance. Finally I saw her get up and went and told her I had actually seen her dance. She was pretty close to tears because she was certain I hadn't made it!! Not the greatest feeling to know she had had to go onstage thinking I wasn't out there but all's well that end's well.

The final time count? We were actually driving back into Eden Prairie at 4:34 - AFTER having sat through the awards ceremony!! CRAZY!!!! Bethany had dance 15 minutes before we were even supposed to have arrived!! By 5:30, when the awards ceremony was scheduled to start we were driving into our driveway, after takign Jenna home and stopping at the bookstore!! Thank God that He knew it was going to happen and put things in place for us to get there!!! JJ lost the game, it wasn't my first competition (that would have sent me over the deep end I think :)), Jenna was with us so I knew I could just drop Jenna at the door and Bethany was all ready to go before we got there!!! Just keeping things spicey - wouldn't want life to be boring and predictable!! Pretty sure we will never have another competition experience that we are there for only two hours, compete and awards within that time!!! And new note to self - contigency plans must include dance competitions running shockingly early!!