Operation good deed a near disaster

Hopefully you remember the good deed mom & I did for some family this past weekend by driving them to Kansas to see a wee baby.  We left Saturday around 11am & I got home at 6:30 pm Sunday evening.  Sitting in a car for 10+ hours (including stopping, etc) is EXHAUSTING.  I can't even tell you.  My back is sore from constantly turning to look over my shoulder to dart in & out of traffic. I spent my entire weekend in a car.  

'Oh, it's ONLY 9 hours to get there'.... UHM- saying & doing are 2 different things.  

I put this pic first because I know all you bleeding hearts wanna see the baby...

Thankfully the entire drive was interstate & the speed limit was 70-75 in most places.  I started driving & mom decided even though we had a gps screeching in our ears we needed a real map.  "You just never know when this might come in handy."  mmmmm kay...

We knew the 'milestone' towns we were looking forward to getting to.  St Louis.  Kansas City.  Topeka.  We would drive & drive & watch the signs counting down how many miles we had left.  We would be SO happy because we made it - but then realize - we still had a LOT of time left....

I was behind the wheel at the first milestone, St. Louis.  I was very excited to see the Arch.  It's quite impressive.

We stopped for gas & to eat a quick bite & I let mom drive.  Sigh.  I am a control freak like no other.  I don't LIKE letting other people drive...especially my mother.  I sat in the back & attempted to nap on a roll of paper towels... just as I started to doze I hear, "Jaime?"  "what?"  "Can you get my Kindle out & harvest my crops on my smurf game?"

Here we go.

It was at this point I started facebooking & tweeting like a mad woman.  It is a very boring drive.  Not much to see except interstate!  Mom tends to have a lead foot & when we stopped at the rest stop - she wasn't able to slow the car down in enough time to make the turn off for the car section... so we had to park with the trucks.  Sigh...

When we got to Topeka - we were just sure we were there... & we still had like 3 hours left.  Like I said - exhausting.  I think I told you we were going to Ft. Riley.  Which for those of you who DON'T know - that's a military base.  With like helicopters & everything.  Chris (Amber's hubby) told us to meet him in the pull off before the gate.  (It was exit 301 & we would know it because off the field full of HELICOPTERS.  Impressive.)  We would need to have our id's ready, etc.  Apparently they also do RANDOM car searches.  And for whatever reason - when I heard that - something clicked in my head.  Mom has her conceal carry permit... & she definitely exercises that amendment... I looked & her & said, "Did.you.bring.your.gun?" 

She sheepishly shook her head yes.  

Holy crap.

Ok- so I go in full mach 10 freak out mode.  I texted B-rad tp tell him to be on standby for bail money.  I told her she HAD to tell Chris so he could tell us what to do.   (When you have a conceal carry permit - you MUST know the laws in the other states you're traveling in.  Like some states may say you have to keep it in the glove box.  Some may say it's ok under the seat.  You HAVE to know the laws.  We traveled across 4 states & she had no idea what the laws were.)  Then I was worried we would have to go to the brig.  Then I was worried my cousin wouldn't get to see her grandbaby.  Lordy be.

I know the pic is blurry - but you can see the dude in camo checking Chris onto the base... then it was our turn...

Chris had told mom to remove the clip & put it in the glove box & to put the gun in the trunk.  We had to pull over (embarrassing) so the other dude could fill out some paperwork.  He was inspecting the gun...

& looked & looked for a serial number - but couldn't find out.   UH OH.  

Eventually he told mom that his superior would NEVER believe her gun didn't have a serial number & to 'leave it in the trunk & do NOT get it out.'  Talk about dodging a bullet....

And finally... after 10 1/2 hours in a car... Ann got to hold her grandson...

And she was seriously happy.  

Which made all the driving over the rumble strips mom did, all the crazy talk of listening to Doris Day, parking in the truck section at the rest area was all worth it.... ok it was sorta worth it.

James Mason Ethridge

I was forced allowed to hold him too.  He's got a really, really big red spot on the top of his little head.

Oh my word, what a good pic.  

Amber was VERY tired... & not feeling well. (completely understandable!)   The hospital on base is tiny.  Listen to this!  They don't even have a NURSERY.  Nope!  Babies stay in the room...with the mommies who can't escape.  They had to move them to another floor that night because other people were coming in in labor.  Obviously the Military does their own thing, but I would think a BRAND NEW newborn has no business anywhere else in a hospital with sick people... but no one asked me....

We visited for a couple of hours & mom & I went to our hotel to go to bed.  We got up the next morning to head home.  My cousin & aunt are staying a week & then her hubby is going to pick them up.  I am hoping  this has gotten me some kind of block or shiny brick up in Heaven.  I endured a lot, after all, in my selfless deed...

(Side note: after all was well with gungate 2012, mom tried to justify to me just WHY the military would have HAD to let us on base.  I tried to explain that the Military can do whatever they want - they're.the.MILITARY!  She thinks that the military has to keep the 'private citizen' happy.  UHM, the military doesn't care WHAT private citizens want... & they sure as heck aren't gonna let them bring GUNS onto their base!  Really?

When I tried to explain what all could've happened - her response, "They couldn't do that to an old lady!"  

I finally said, "MOM - YOU'RE 60...NOT 80!!!!"   

She said she would write into Fox news & they would get it all worked out.  Lord help us....)