I've missed the bus completely

THIS is precisely why I started a blog...so that somewhere I can write down the things that happen to me...the stuff you just can't make up.  I think it's because there's always something, that I can't remember anything.  Enter here:  my blog. 

I've missed the bus.  If you're a friend of mine, you'll hear me say that often.  Because I always miss the bus.  And I'm an overplanner.  I'm a firstborn--what do you expect?  Kim can back me up.  She has the same qualifications.  And when we're together, which is almost always, it gets even worse.  The bus isn't even coming to the stop we're at. 

Tim Tebow.  I can't, and won't, say any more than that. 

He's in town for a book signing.  Kim and I, being the firstborns that we are, locate the first available book for purchase and do so.  Essentially, we had a 1 day head start on the rest of the world.  I need that head start, thank you very much. 

We know there's a book signing, but if there's one thing I don't do well, it's pay attention to detail.  So I'm just assuming we'll show up and he'll sign the book.  It doesn't even occur to me until Wednesday when Kim asks me "what's the plan for Saturday" to look up the details.  You must purchase the book from Tattered Cover and get a ticket for the signing.  Fabulous.  Please note, all family members will be getting a copy of the Tim Tebow book for Christmas this year.  Get excited.  Strike 1. 

Thank goodness I had just 3 days to plan,  or the bags under my eyes from sleepless nights would have been awful, and shopping would have been a priority for a week, finding that perfect outfit.  I may or may not have still had to hit Shepler's on the way home from volleyball before leaving on Saturday for the final touches, but between our two closets, I found something which I felt like I "could face the general public in"--well the general public AND Tim Tebow.  Because, surely, even though there was 599 other people's outfits, mine had to be planned appropriately and couldn't just be a whim. 

So Kim and I pack the boys up and leave with plenty of time to get down there, park, and get into line.  Thank goodness because, ready.....we definitely went to the wrong bookstore.  Strike 2. Please realize, this kind of stuff happens to me all the time, and even though it's really annoying, I still laugh.  Hard.  And I'm still laughing.  We drive by the Tattered Cover on Colfax, and there's not a soul outside and I remember turning to Kim saying, "I haven't seen one person with a book, Kim".  So after making 3 loops around, finding the closest parking spot (which was incredibly close--parallel parking in front), Kim says, "Is this even the right store?".  GPS's fault--I enter "Tattered Cover, Denver" and it picks 1 of 2 for me.  We'll leave it like that. 

So I drive like a bat outta hell to the other one, crank the a/c and tell the world to move it or lose it. We park and get inside only to be greeted by a woman with a megaphone.  I'm dying.  We hop into line and start moving along with the rest of the "herd".  We weave back and forth between all the book shelves, eagerly waiting, but trying desperately to not show our excitement--just trying to play it cool.  We finally reached THE ROOM...where he was...this is my excited face...

and again, just like at the amusement park--back and forth through the line formations.  We realize how impersonal it really is--and while he's taking an interest in every person crossing his face, let's just say you get about 5 seconds with him and heaven forbid your name take more than 2 seconds to say.  So I practiced saying my name as to not screw this up as well. 

The boys went first and Kim jumped out of line to get a picture--he was so sweet to them, and they lit up standing there watching him sign their book.  I had a feeling, that given the chance, Evan would have asked him to propose "to my cousin Annie"...so I'm not sure about how I feel that he wasn't given the chance.  Kim hopped back in line for her time with Tim--please do not ask why I didn't grab the camera from her--I promise, I'm a pretty good friend--and then it was my turn.  Walk up, he asks how I am and then reaches out to shake my hand and I introduce myself and thank him for taking the time to do this. Yes, his hands are twice the size of mine at least (and for you girls out there, soft, because we care about stuff like that). As he looks up, I make sure and take 1 second--really one more than I was allowed--to just look at him and smile--best 1 second I've had in a while.  That would have been the cue for Kim to fire up the camera--which she did becuase she's a great friend--but at that moment, the screen went black and we got this picture:

I'll never hold it against her and it still doesn't bother me at all, but, for the sake of the story, Strike 3. 

Kim threw a grown-up temper trantrum and stomped her foot, which I appreciated and encouraged.  We may or may not have caused a scene right up there in front of he and his 3 friends (I was semi-hoping one of them would jump up and help us get a picture with him) as I raise my booming voice.  Again, it's okay.  That was a perfect "first meeting" but there will be others I'm certain.  And I'll still be glowing...

We just won't have a photo of our "first" meeting.