Travelogue - Day Eight

It's Thursday morning. This is the day we have both feared and waited for. We're headed home, which is so wonderful. During all of our preparation for this trip, it was the flight home that terrified us the most. I was even more terrified after experiencing the flight myself on the way there.

We were all ready for a change of scenery. The novelty of the hotel had run it's course. We tried to burn off energy in the workout room. Our flight didn't leave Addis Ababa until midnight, so we had the whole day to wear ourselves out (we hoped).

We traveled as a group to the airport. After checking in and getting through immigration is was time to head to our gate. Just on the other side of immigration was a long tall escalator. This is where Seth's "day of discovery" began. His eyes and smile were wide. He would stay this way for most of the trip (except when he couldn't watch the video screen).

Colin was already in his pj's and ready for sleep. He tried but there were too many interesting things to watch.

The flight was somewhat full. There were around 30 adoptive families. 22 of the adopted children were infants (don't you wish you were there?). As we were finding our seats, an adoptive family across the aisle saw us arranging our things and said, "Oh my goodness - you have two of them?" John's responded with a smile, "Yes and we have never been more aware of it than we are right now."

The first leg of our trip would be 1 hour long. We'd land in Sudan for fuel and to pick up a few more passengers. That first hour was the worst part of the whole trip. We were beat. My arms and legs felt like jello. I could hardly see straight. Seth was pushing every button he could find. Colin would not sleep. I couldn't believe he was still awake. John was, of course, calm and patient with us all. While we were on the ground in Sudan (for an hour), they played Christmas music over the speakers. One song lyric put me right over the edge. It was something about "when your children won't close their eyes and go sleep". I cracked up laughing - through tears. It was one of those, I'm-so-tired-I can't-figure-out-whether-to-laugh-or-cry moments. I looked at John and in all seriousness said, "Let's not go anywhere again - ever".

The boys would eventually sleep. John and I did too. Colin's intestinal issues continued - which was oh so fun. Following one exceptionally special trip to the bathroom with the changing table - I just stripped him and threw everything (onesie included) in the trash. I want to publicly apologize to the airport maintanence staff in Amsterdam.

Security in Amsterdam was more detailed but didn't take any longer than usual. The people who sat around us on every flight was so understanding and supportive - some before they even knew our situation. On the flight from Amsterdam to Detroit, a woman across the aisle leaned over after a few hours and said in a dutch accent, "Are these your children? You do such a great job with them. Flying with small children is so difficult." I said thanks and then she asked about how they came to be our children. When I told her that we had been their parents for 4 days - she was genuinely shocked. It made me feel so good.

Of course this was before Colin decided to bring me back to reality and humble me in front of my new friend. One of the heightened security measures was to keep the seatbelt sign on over Canada. Colin did not appreciate this at all (neither did I but I couldn't get away with screaming my head off). A big thank you to the Indian business man behind us who kept Colin entertained through the space in between the seats.

We arrived in Detroit with the task of getting through U.S. Immigration with two U.S. Passports and two Ethiopian Passports...a sealed envelope from the Embassy in Addis Ababa and two squirrley kids who had been sitting still for almost 20 hours. We were the last in the line of other adoptive families doing the same thing (only they all had non-walking infants). We waited and waited and waited. We finally had to beg and plead for help as our connecting flight to KC was leaving in 30 minutes. After finally making it through immigration and onto customs, I was a woman on a mission. I was NOT going to miss our flight. I threw Seth on my hip and found our luggage. I hoisted my big green backpack on one shoulder and off I went (gasping for breath).

Somewhere in our mad-dash to the gate, John and I switched children. I don't remember it happening. John called our family to tell them we were going to be on time (even if it killed me!).

We boarded the plane in Detroit and had window seats for the first time on this trip. I posted this picture already but it fits here so I'm posting it again.

This flight was a short one. We finally landed in Kansas City and walked into the loving arms of our family and friends. It was such a welcomed sight.

Many of our friends were there with banners and toys (and cameras).

It was such a joyous time. All four of us were finally home. We bundled the boys up (there was a foot of snow on the ground and it was freezing!) and strapped them into their new carseats. They were asleep within 5 minutes of leaving the airport.

My parents and my sister joined us at the house with dinner. After a short little nap the boys were awake again. My mom took this picture. It's not very flattering of me but it's too funny not to post. Two wide awake children and two very tired parents.

This seems like a good time to thank the many people who took care of things while we were gone. I really hope I don't forget anyone.

Thank you Jerry for watching Sheena (who got sick the night before we left)

Thank you Katie for getting Sheena well again.

Thank you mom and Kelly for the meals in the fridge and the groceries.

Thanks to our neighbors for taking care of Carhartt and Pete in the freezing cold and deep snow and for figuring out a way to clear our driveway.

Thank you Heather and Shawn, Hilary, Julie and Brooklyn, Jenny, Grandma and Grandpa Robinson, and Aunt Kelly for meeting us at the airport.

Thank you Kaberline's, Foote's, Quigley's (and someone else I never got the name of) for providing meals when we returned.

Thank you Dee Dee for the tip about masking tape - it worked like a charm - just when we needed it. (Don't worry we didn't tape their mouths shut - she told me to pack some masking tape to keep the boys entertained. They can rip it, stick it anywhere they like, and it comes right off when it's time to clean up. We took a roll of painter's tape because that's what we had. It was our super secret entertainment weapon. We made it all the way to Canada before we used it.)

And thanks to all of you for the many prayers and words of encouragement. I wish I knew more words and was more eloquent in putting them in writing.

It is so good to be home.