The Oil Change

Stephen and I spent the weekend in Kentucky with our friends and family.  We had a wonderful time seeing our family and then I really enjoyed seeing all my dear friends on Saturday for my friends Lauren and Brad's wedding.

Here's a picture of the lovely bride and groom (borrowed from my friend Carly's FB)

Me and my besties enjoying acting utterly ridiculous dancing at the reception - Katie on the left and Doni in the middle

My other bestie, Laura is on the left - Stephen's the lucky man standing in back of me ;)

So anyways, we knew we were going to good 'ol Kentucky and we also knew we needed an oil change.  Despite the fact that I absolutely hate doing anything car related, I told Stephen that I would go on Thursday after my Bible Study (BSF - holla'!) and get the oil changed in the car.  I went into Jiffy Lube ready and rearing to go with my Martha Stewart Living and my Rachel Ray's Everyday to keep me occupied.  You know the routine - they take your car, ask you what you want and then work on your car.  When your car is finished, you go to the counter and pay.  I was so surprised and relieved when my visit took less time than I had originally planned.  The cashier and I had a good, somewhat forced chuckle at the fact that she called me Stephen (because that's the name on file with the license plate) and then I got to work digging out my wallet to make the payment.  After I had dug my way around and through my purse, I immediately started to panic when I realized that my wallet was NOT IN THERE.  My face started to catch fire, I could feel the heat in each cheek running rampant.  All of a sudden I started to feel all sweaty and just enflamed as I realized that I had no way to pay for the service that was performed on my car.  

That's me at that moment.

I told the nice lady the situation and she suggested I go check the car to see if my wallet was there.  I go out to my car and dig around, knowing the whole time that my wallet was not there.  I have 2 thoughts plaguing my mind at this point: 1) how in good gravy am I going to pay for this?! and 2) where the hot tamale is my wallet???  I whipped out my cell phone and immediately dialed Stephen.  No answer.  Called again.  No answer.  My frustration immediately was transitioned to him - doesn't he know he should be at my beck and call at every waking moment?! (please not the heavily laid sarcasm).  After I had no luck with Stephen, I began to think about who I could call that could help me.  I wasn't that far from our apartment (far enough to be out of walking distance and a public commute could take at least an hour), and I knew my friend Jenn lived down the street from us.  Her work is really flexible and I knew she would come and help me...only she didn't answer her phone.  Lucky for Jenn she isn't my husband, so she only received one call from me.  The next friend that came to mind was someone that I really didn't want to call.  Don't get me wrong, Amanda would drive out to anywhere to help me - she's an amazing friend - but her and her husband live about a half hour from our apartment (Chicago traffic will make you wish you lived elsewhere) and I hated to ask her to drive out to help me (and selfishly, I knew that would take longer).  But, I swallowed my pride and dialed her up.  Here's how the conversation went:

Amanda: "Hi friend!  How are you?"

Me: "Well, I've been better {insert story here}.  I hate to ask you this, and please feel free to tell me 'No' if you cannot, but what are the odds that you could come out to this Jiffy Lube and pay for my oil change?????"

Amanda: "Well....where are you?  I'm at a thrift store on Clybourne right now..."

Me: "I'm at Fullerton and Clybourne....are you at the Salvation Army?"

Amanda: "Yes..."

I'll stop there - Chicago's a big city.  Amanda doesn't live near the Salvation Army, nor does she frequent that one and it just so happened that the day I was stuck at Fullerton and Clybourne because I had stupidly lost my wallet, Amanda was only a 5 MINUTE walk from my location.  FIVE MINUTES?!  She was right down the street.  Hello God, thanks for loving me and showing me that you're there to take care of me!

As Amanda was telling me her location, a light came streaming down from Heaven and a Heavenly host of angels began to sing in sweet harmony...not really, but it felt that way!  

Thank God for being God and for giving me wonderful friends!

p.s. my wallet was in the pocket of my jacket from when I had walked to Trader Joes (holy toledo I love Trader Joes!) earlier that week.  I left it in there thinking, "I'll remember it's there..." famous. last. words.