Unanswered Prayers

"Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers.
Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs,
That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care.
Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers."
- Garth Brooks

6 years later, I again find myself lost and alone in a European city. This time Cologne, Germany...

May 2000...My heart was broken before I departed for a 6 week backpacking trip across Europe with a friend. 4 days into our trip, she missed her boyfriend and flew home. I continued the journey solo, searching for adventures and myself. While day dreaming, I would pray to fall in love with some Spaniard so I could live in Spain the rest of my life while our blue-eyed children ran along the beach. Or some Italian lover that would speak to me in a romantic language each evening, while I sipped Chianti on the terrace over looking our vineyard. Needless to say I returned to the US as planned and continued with my life.

July 2006...Early Sunday morning I left my mom and her husband along with my sister and niece at a hotel in Bacharach, Germany. I had to catch a flight back to Helsinki so Daddy could return to work on Monday. Long story short, the train was late, I got off at a wrong stop, boarded another, yadda-yadda-yadda, missed my flight. The airline we are using only has 1 flight out daily so I am stuck here until tomorrow. I do not know when my family is returning to Cologne this evening or where they plan to stay the night. I was able to purchase another flight out tomorrow...the one they are booked on also. They will be surprised to see me in the morning at the airport

The same man that broke my heart in 2000 is now at home with our 2 children. He was kind enough to offer to use up 10,000 of his star points so I could stay the night at one of the top hotels here. My frugal self declined, but found a great room (with AC) for 59 Euros. Thanks to unanswered prayers...I am lucky to have someone truly as amazing as him.