Nashville Trip, Part One.

I promised to write about my Nashville trip and I am going to do it, right now. I don't want to leave out any details, or anything like that. It was so great for me to clear out the storage unit... but moreso to feel so rejuvenated by those friends who really do love me.

The drive...

It was November 1st, my son's ninth birthday. I didn't want to leave until after his birthday was "over" and he was tucked in for the night. So I didn't get on the road until after 10pm, once everything was packed for my trip and I had everything I needed, including cash just in case I broke down somewhere, etc. I had my safety net in place. The kids and sitters were taken care of. It was time.

I got into the car and plugged in my phone. I spent the first three or four hours of the trip on the phone, till I tucked in the last of my friends and got ready to listen to some music for several hours. I had told myself I would be able to stop if I got tired, but with each mile, I just wanted to get to Nashville faster. After all, I could sleep at my friends' places free, but not so on the road.

Coffee, adrenaline and 6 Hour Energy drinks were my friend. I wondered about the stuff in the unit and prayed that my kids pictures would at least be somewhat salvageable. I started taking a mental tally of all the precious things of mine that I had in there. The things my grandparents left to me, including old pictures of them!

I just prayed and reminded myself that there was no way that I could change anything now, so I was just going to let go and wait to see what was left. I was fully prepared for complete devastation.

By morning, I had seen the sun rise shortly after passing through Knoxville. With the time change AND the daylight savings time ending, I gained 2 hours. I took this picture because it just made me smile.... Tennessee mountains and valleys. It just looked like HOME.

Around the same time, I took a picture of me that just explains what a 12 hour drive does to a mom who just went through the past 36 hours with Halloween parades, parties and birthday celebrations.... oh, and no sleep!

I look completely spent...

But it's kind of funny... at least to me.

A very tired, me.

Arriving in Nashville...

As I got closer, I pulled out my phone again and began updating my facebook status. I found out that my friend Dennis was up, and was waiting for me. I would be able to crash there if I felt like I needed to recoup energy.

When I got to Dennis' studio, I was greeted with a big bear hug, and then a wonderful conversation. We talked about God, about helping people, about the universe, crazy dreams and overall spirituality and our love of others... it was so cool. I was tired, but instead of sleeping, I decided to head to the Public Storage unit to see if I could get any access to the unit to cut a day from my trip and see what I was going to have to recruit help-wise.

I went down there, and found the most unhelpful woman possible at the desk. Apparently, since it was an area of investigation still, the fire investigator had to personally check everyone in and out. So, there was no chance I was even going to see the unit. I stared at the outside of the building, which you've seen in prior pictures, and I was so close, but still no closer to knowing what I was going to be dealing with. I just secretly knew that God was testing my patience, and I decided to enjoy the beautiful, sunny day in my favorite city.

I went to my friend Todd's apartment, where I found two women moving furniture out. I was a little confused, because he didn't have women living with him before, and didn't mention it. Todd, who normally is a little on the wild side, was so very sober, subdued and bright eyed. It was such a joy to find him in such a healthy state. He mentioned that he was just trying to get his life in order again. I could not be happier or more excited for my friend. We sat together and chatted, until I got a call that Mark was waiting for me at the restaurant.

Overall, that day was a gift. I was able to see more friends, have a nice lunch (on Mark!). Mark had been in Chattanooga that morning, but when he heard that I was going to be in town, decided to pack up and head north the two hours.

Just so he could see me while I was in town. How sweet is that?

He's a goofball, but he's a damn good friend and extremely talented songwriter.

So, after our lunch, I told him I planned on going downtown and seeing who I could find from my friends who played on Broadway. I had gotten a text message from my friend Greg... aka Fiddler... and he wanted me to come and sing with him and the band at Legends Corner during his set. There was a Titans game that day, so instead of driving in (parking would have been a nightmare), I parked my car up by Losers, and took a cab from Midtown to Broadway.

As I was facebooking my status in the cab, I decided to meet up with my friend EJ down at the Hooters for a couple beers and to watch the game. We sat there and watched the Titans kick the Green Bay Packers butts. They were 8-0 then...there was a huge amount of joy in my heart, as I was sitting there, enjoying my time in Nashville, surrounded by friends and the town that makes my heart jump for joy.

I had promised my friend Fiddler I would show up for his set down at Legends, so EJ and I made it down there to catch the last hour of his show. I got up and sang with them. I sang "When You Say Nothing At All", but truthfully, this is where memory and exhaustion, plus a couple beers are just having the details get muddied. I remember now because I was explaining the chord progression to one of the guys.

Anyway, we went across the street to Crossroads, and I was waiting on Laura to get downtown. My friend Chris showed up too, and I was playing poker and falling asleep. I was convinced that somehow I would get my second wind. I probably looked like a lightweight drunk, but honestly, it was just the craziness of being up for so long. I only had a few beers.

I told EJ I was going to walk around to wait for my friend and see who I knew, because sitting was making me tired. He was playing poker, so I told him I'd see him later. I never saw him again that trip. Ha!

As I was hopping in and out of Tootsies and The Stage, I saw several friends, gave out hugs, and even got some bad news... my friend Loren had recently passed away- two months ago. I want to just point out that Loren was this amazingly talented drummer and all around great guy. He was that kind of person that always had a smile on his face. It was a fluke accident. His brother, Jonathan plays guitar, and the two of them often played sets together on the back stage at Tootsies.

God Bless Loren and his family.

So, I got to see my friends again, and hugged them, shared stories, showed pictures of the kids... and the common question was, when are you coming home to us?

I explained that I would when I could, but I still had some things to take care of, and that I would probably be back the week after Christmas to see everyone again.

Laura called me shortly thereafter, as I was heading back towards Crossroads to find EJ.

I missed my friend! She had just driven back from a work conference in Memphis, so she was tired too! Here is a picture of the tired two of us.

I should mention how we became friends here, because it's fitting. We both dated the same person... not far apart in time span. We both found out he was a jerk. Lying, sneaking around, all around not the man we thought he was. And, in sharing our stories, we bonded. Who knew?

I didn't take many pictures in Nashville, but the ones I do have are precious to me. Laura and I had, together, a wonderful night, and ended up hanging out down on Broadway, walking up to Printers Alley to sing karaoke together, and we ran into so many people that we both knew, that made the night even better.

We ended up at our favorite place, Losers. It was there, we ran into my friend Calvin and his friend Eric. I simply had to fall asleep at this point, after a full night of running around and no sleep, it was time. I knew I had to be up early the next morning to deal with the whole storage unit business. Part of it terrified me, but I was grateful for the day and night of fun with my friends.

Public Storage and the Fire Damage

Here's where this post is going to get ridiculously spiritual. Not religious, mind you, but spiritual.

Remember how I prayed for my kids pictures, and my grandparents collectibles? Well, I get to the Public Storage office first thing in the morning, just as they were opening, in my sneakers, t-shirt and yoga pants... ready to work.

I get checked in by the fire investigator and led upstairs to my unit, where they open the door. The very first thing I see? My grandfather's face, in his navy blues... in the picture that I had framed of his, with a few of his pins and bands and stuff. Just staring back at me, propped on that old chair of my grandparents (the one I gave birth to Madelyn off the side of). I silently praised God, and thanked him... and was led back downstairs so the workers could begin emptying my unit for me.

As they brought things down, there were definitely items with smoke damage, some with water damage, and the funniest melted printer I've ever seen... but overall, I was very, very fortunate. They were bringing down BOXES, where other people's items were coming down in piles of ash with rubbermaid bins.

Things had a thick layer of soot, but for the most part, there was a lot that was salvageable.

I think the most miraculous thing from the trip was that the boxes that held both my pictures from me being a kid, and my children's pictures- their baby books, etc. Were all 100% untouched. The boxes barely had any soot on them at all. No water damage, nothing. That to me, is a God given miracle.

I had been in touch with my friend Billy all day, he was going to come help me by bringing a friend over to help me load what was salvageable but not going to fit in my car, into the smaller unit around the corner. His schedule was running late, and he had a show that night. But here's where I nearly freaked out.

Around 5pm, I had gone through 99% of my things, boxed it all up, hadn't eaten since breakfast with Mark and Allison early that morning... was starving and as it was getting darker, I was waiting on another friend to show up (they didn't). The lady at public storage had to go to another office, so she wanted to lock up the gate. I explained that I had to leave that night and that I just had to take the rest of my things and move them from where they were to the storage unit on the other side. I didn't have a truck and being that I was expecting friends, had loaded my car. I had enough things that I wasn't comfortable leaving behind, sitting there, and the fire investigator was unable to help me, even though he had a truck himself. Unable or unwilling, not sure.

I am told then, that there is a security guard coming on at 6pm who will be there through the night, and that I can gain access to my things with the key he has to the lock. My things will be behind Gate A (where the fire was) and I have to take them from behind Gate A, to the front of the building, then through Gate B (the electronic gate) to the back and the new storage unit. I am assured through Tiffany (the public storage girl) that this won't be a problem and I'll still be able to leave on time, as planned.

I phone Billy, almost shaking with starvation and frustration, because I just left my things outside behind a gate and would have to go back after dark to retrieve them. Billy tells me not to worry, to eat my cheeseburger and he would meet me in the parking lot at Demonbreun with his friend for extra hands.

I inhale the burger and sweet tea, then see Billy and a big smile came across my face... We all go down, caravan style to the storage unit, and talk to the security guy, John, who was really very friendly. He speaks to Tiffany on my phone, who tells him it's ok for me to have access, and when he tries the key... it doesn't fit.

That's right. He didn't have the key to the lock to Gate A. Oh, but it gets better. We were able to hoist 3 boxes over the gate, and we have three boxes on the open side of the street, and figure we can at least get those while he's talking with Tiffany again. We were on a timeframe that didn't leave much time for ineptitude on Public Storage's part. We go over to Gate B, and find that the power grid was shut off. Yeah, no power to Gate B. NO ACCESS to the other units.

This is where Billy kept me from going postal.

I laugh, finally, and say, that if this was God's way of trying to keep me in town one more night, it sure was a pretty clear message. We all laugh, and the guard assures me that he will be there all night and until 9am when the Public Storage lady gets there, so he tells me that my remaining things will be safe. We take the 3 boxes and put them into Billy's truck.

I tell the boys that I'm going to make the arrangements with my sitter, and then meet them at Billy's show at Tin Roof, since I now had a whole evening again.

*** I want to make so many additions to this, but I'm going to post it as a part one, and come back and edit it when I have a chance. I want to make sure that this gets posted... oh, and just so everyone knows... I am so blessed! ***