They Threw Bird Seed at me.

I'm not used to wearing a ring. It feels different.

Anyways for all those who probably heard. I got married. It was quite the wild ride to get there.

It was if god himself threw out some challenges to see if I really wanted to get married.

Here's my timeline of events.

I left my work friday june 29th at 12:15 noon. Got home to my barracks room at about 1230 pm
Since I I had little time to pack all week. I rushed all my belongings into my suitcase. Knowing very well that I probably forgot something, and I did, but I'll mention that later.

I rushed to San Diego Airport from Yuma. A 180 mile drive. Mind you I haven't been to San Diego Airport in over a year and half, so I didn't remember how to get there. I asked my room mate the directions on how to get there. (Usually I go online and print them out, when ever I'm traveling, but I didn't have time.)

I heard him tell go all they way down Interstate 8 and don't go on I-5. So I drove and drove and drove. And before you know it. I was in Point Loma, I misheard him, he really said don't go north on I-5. I was supposed to go south on interstate 5. By the time I reoriented myself. I found the airport about 20 minutes later.

I still had to find a place to park. I found a parking garage with a shuttle service to airport. Perfect. I look at my watch. 4:30 pm.

"Shoot." I think to myself.

I remained calm and I call my airline to let the gate know I'm not going to make my flight. The customer rep, told me I'd have to cancel my entire flight and rebook a new one for 400 some odd dollars. I thought he was crazy. So I nonchalantly told him to cancel my flight.

I remember my dad used to go to the airport and purchase an airline ticket that day. How hard could it be? I soon learned my lesson.

My flight left to Houston at 4:55 pm, that last flight of the day leaving towards there. (But I didn't know that.) I get lost in the terminals trying to find an airline that flies to Baton Rouge.

It was either Delta for 855 dollars or continental. The same airline I just told to screw off..

After one hour I give up. I call my airline again, this time I'm not as calm and reserved as I was before. I manage to get my itinerary adjusted albeit, at nice chunk of change of 352 dollars. It was that or I don't go see my finance. So I booked a hotel over the phone at California Suites Hotel, a place I stayed at 2 years ago when I graduated boot camp.

A place my parents booked, but I never knew the cost until after I realized the price.

A fairly nice place to sleep with good security. http://www.californiasuiteshotel.com/ Still a hundred bucks a night still put a dent in my pocket. Dead tired, I leave the airport, hope a ride on the shuttle back to the parking garage. Pay my 9 dollar parking ticket fee and I leave. Finally I check in at the front desk of the hotel and I find my room. I use the room's internet, check my email, whilst debating to myself sleepy and hungry. I ponder the effort, of getting up going to my car and driving back in to San Diego traffic for a bite to eat. I decided against my hunger. I choose sleep.

The next morning, I still somehow managed to get stuck in traffic. I return to the same parking garage, trying once more this time to squeeze my nissan sentra into these ridiculously tiny parking spaces. That I pay 14 dollars a day for, no matter. I have more important things to think about. Luckily for me there was shuttle ready, so I quickly hop aboard. Arriving at San Diego Airport I'm confronted with a long line waiting to check in. I silently want to kick myself because I could've saved myself the trouble and checked in online. I check in my bags, and in horror. I see a 20 minutes line waiting to go through security. Jesus, my heart is thumping, I'm nervous, that I won't make it AGAIN. Security pulls me to the side, one of those random inspection things and wipes my laptop to check for bombs or whatever they check for. I throw on my shoes and run to the gate.

Final Call. I made it. I breathe a sigh of relief once I found my seat on the plane. I look at my second boarding pass and smile knowing that I have little layover time in Houston Bush airport.

How wrong I was.

Continental CANCELED my flight. And the next available flight to baton rouge was the next day. I wasn't about bear the bad news again to my finance. I tell her to go back to her aunt's where she was waiting for me the majority of the day.

There was another option. Fly into New Orleans, and my bags go to baton rouge. In New Orleans customer service will present me a travel voucher so I can take a taxi. Fine I settle with the latter option.

I fly into Louis Armstrong airport, walk around the airport, only to find every continental desk and kiosk is empty with no continental employees, to hand my travel voucher.

Now I'm screwed. I'm not about to make my girl friend drive 2 hours to New Orleans because the airline company screwed up. The first time I missed my flight, fine I accepted my responsibility of not being up and I ponied up the cash to fix my error. This time I just got screwed. I call customer service over the phone. I had to try 3 different numbers till I got someone live, explained my situation. Continental wanted me to pay the taxi and they offer to reimburse me. I was like no way. A taxi ride to baton rouge?! I can't afford that.

I speak to the supervisor, he soon finds 1 employee left. She works at baggage claim. I take the escalator downstairs explain to her my situation. After few long moments she gives me my travel voucher which I then give to my cab driver, waiting outside for me. A cab drive back to baton rouge, a sweet reunion with my girlfriend. And another drive back to Mississippi. PHEW!

The next day we drive to New Orleans, stay the night at fellow marine's apartment. Courtesy of my direct superior, it was his old subordinate he contacted that put me and girlfriend up for the night.

The next morning, I head over Marine Forces Reserve base in New Orleans, where my promotion warrant is faxed to the unit down there. A few long hot and humid hours later. A small promotion ceremony is held. My girlfriend pins on my corporal chevrons. We head back to Mississippi again, this time to get some long awaited rest.

July 3rd. I have everything ready. I check my uniform. I'm good. Or so I thought
My girlfriend and I pick up her best friend ( the maid of honor) about a hour drive north and then all 3 of us head towards Baton Rouge, LA. (By this time I'm tired of traveling) We arrive at my girlfriend's grandmother's house, 4 hours prior to the wedding which starts at 2. All the guests arrive everything is ready. At about 1:30 pm. I forgot my White Belt that belongs to my uniform and the I didn't pick up my belt buckle. NCOs have the marine corps emblem while junior Marine's belt buckle is just solid smooth brass. In horror I felt like I just ruined the entire wedding.

My father in law calls the local recruiting office where I'm rushed over there to borrow it for the wedding.

I get back to find out my finance forgot the marriage license back in Mississippi. A 2 and half hour drive back and forth to pick it up. Around 6pm the Justice of Peace comes back and finally he weds. my wife and I.

4 minutes and 52 seconds later. The ceremony is over.
But of course the guests want thousands of pictures. The cutting of the cake. My wife and I are getting tired of wearing our wedding clothes. Finally after the cutting of the cake we both go and change into something more comfortable.

(I noticed a put on a few pound since boot camp, since I felt the squeeze around the waist from my trousers.)

We left, my now grandmother in law's house whilst the guest threw bird seed at us. Since rice is no longer allowed.

That night we drove home. My wife and I were relieved that everything was finally over. We return the belt to recruiting station. I most certainly was giving a hard time for that one.

Okay, okay it is finally OVER. Christ I was tired and I wanted to get home.

Then the wiper's on my wife's truck broke, and it started to storm....

What was the worst part of it all? I missed the opening day of Transformers the Movie.