Sorry it has been so long, here is a long story to make it up to you.

So I have two little goals in life.  Well of course I also have big goals relating to family, kids, and God.  But I have two little dreams.  One is, as you know, to someday be an extra on the show Madmen.  Maybe I didn't win the contest, but that doesn't mean that I still don't want it all the same.  The second, is to be a contestant on the NPR radio show: "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me."

I have called and left messages at 1-888-WAIT-WAIT.  I have left so many messages I cannot even tell you how many it has been.  I have sent email.  I even included a photo once.  I want Carl Kasell's voice on my answering machine so badly I can't even stand it.  I listen to the show each week.  I know all the guests and all the games.  It is a highlight of each week for me.

So last fall, when i found out that Wait Wait was coming to Houston to do a Iive taping, I said to myself, "this time you will not be lazy and you WILL buy tickets."  That's what I said.  And that is what I had planned to do.  Until the tickets went on sale and then they were gone...just like that...and i forgot to get them.  Two shows - sold out.  I grieved for a while, and then said that it was for the best, because really - it is a radio show and i didn't really want to see the show, because that may ruin my mental image of Peter Sagal and Carl Kasell up on stage.  

All was well until I heard this week that the shows were going to be on Thursday and Friday.  and then i was sad, so very sad.  But i reminded myself that it was my own fault and that i needed to get over it.

On Friday, michael and i were offered the very greatest of gifts from our friends maggie and george.  a night out with free babysitting!  they said, "take as long as you want, you can even eat dinner and see Avatar!"  (that is some serious love, from some seriously nice people.)

So on Friday afternoon we were trying to decide what to do with our evening.  Looking through the Houston Press, Michael passed a photo of Paula Poundstone.  I ran over and stopped him - "look that's for Wait Wait!...oh yeah......the show is tonight..."  (followed by deflated sigh and pouty face)  After that, he tried with all his internet savvy to find me a ticket.  Craig's list, Ebay, phone calls - nothin.  SOLD OUT.  I was hopeful, then disappointed, but i refused to let my issues ruin our date.

Then, into the house walk the awesome babysitters.  and they came with a gift.  Maggie hands me an autographed program from Thursday night's Wait Wait Don't Tell me.  Signatures from Peter Sagal, Carl Kasell, Paula Poundstone and Tom Bodet.  They went and they met them all!  I was so happy for them!

and then i went to the bathroom and cried.

I didn't mean to cry.  it just sort of happened.  Then Michael walked in and saw me crying while putting on my make-up.  He said, "we're going down there, and we are going to see if we can get some tickets."  I said, "who is going to scalp tickets to an NPR show?"  but I decided that we have a God who sometimes sees fit to give silly gifts to his children, so why not give it a try?

The show started at 7:30, we arrived to the downtown theater district at about 7:10.  We drove past the Wortham.  There was NO ONE standing outside looking like they were wanting to let go of some tickets.  Again, who on earth tries to scalp NPR tickets?  This is not U2, it is a nerd festival that only nerdy people care about. 

Driven, michael decides to park the car and says that we are going inside.  Amazingly, we found a free parking spot. 

We get inside, and there we are, just standing there watching all the other geeks going up the escalator to the show.  We continue to stand there - watching them all smiling and laughing in their snooty public radio loving way.  I get depressed and say that we really should just leave, because this is just too sad.  Michael says, "no, let's just stand here a while longer." 
We make a loop around the lobby, no one is interested in selling tickets.  We end up next to the ticket booth (that is vacant because the show has been sold out for months).  The theater gives the 10 minute warning and people begin moving quickly up the escalator.  I say, "i think it is time to go."  Michael says no.  We wait another 5 minutes or so, when i notice that there are two men who are standing near us just staring and looking kind of like we are.  I wonder if they are pitifully hoping for some tickets, too.  A lady walks in the ticket line and one of the men approaches her and asks if she needs a ticket.  I get excited and we call him over.  He only has one ticket.  Then a man who looks like Santa Claus in a suit and long black trench coat approaches and says that he has two tickets.  He says his wife bought them and then someone else offered them box seats so he came downstairs to see if he could make at least part of their money back.  Two tickets, 65 dollars each, but he would sell both for 65 dollars total.  Orchestra: row K.   

Are you kidding me?  I thank him profusely, tell him he must be from the Lord and ask if I can give him a hug.  He agrees and then escorts us to the ticket scanner just to prove that his online tickets are legit.  He even shows us his badge proving that he works for the sheriffs' office. 

The show was perfect.  I smiled from ear to ear as I saw all my friends on stage and watched them interview ZZ Top.  How cool.  I didn't even know that ZZ Top spoke.

I love little presents like this from God.  I already love Him and believe in him, but its this kind of crazy stuff that reminds me that he is pretty freakin' cool, too. 

James 1:16-18 (The Message)

 ^16-18So, my very dear friends, don't get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.