Sunday Afternoon:
Well that's over. I have worried, fretted, layed awake nights, gnashed my teeth over the last 2 years thinking about the flight home with a toddler who doesn't speak my language and has been in an orphanage much of her life. After the flight, I realized i didn't take it seriously enough. If I had known how it actually would go, would I have still gone ahead and done it? Fair question. She slept most of the threee hours waiting to board the plane, then woke up as we boarded. We thankfully got seats in the middle of the plane but with no seats in front of us, just a psuedo-aisle and video screen on the wall. Blen wasn't too excited to be on the plane and wanted wendy to be walking around with her which she of course could't do during taxi and takeoff. The only person in our row asked to be moved almost immediatley and thankfully was soon after takeoff. The flight from Addis to Amsterdam takes about 8 and a half hours and Blen slept off and on for most of the flight. Wendy and I on the other hand didn't. Wendy couldn't get comfortable enough to fall asleep while holding Blen and I tried to help make her comfortable as much as possible and actually held Blen a couple times while she was asleep. It was a long night watching other people sleep, but not too bad as far as Blen was concerned. Oh, but her ears hurt real bad on the descent, but usually people understand that and have sympathy for the kid in those instances.
We got off the plane in Amsterdam at 7 AM and went directly into the security clearance for our flight to Detroit. Once through, we had a little, oh about 45 minute, til we boarded again. This time it really went poorly. Blen was very irritable at this point, we loaded and she immediately started to cry/moan/squirm/writhe/scream/bawl etc etc as we waited for the plane to finish loading and then of course we waited for the plane to be de-iced. This took probbly another half hour with the engines off and the plane dead quiet except for Blen and her carrying on. It was agony. For everyone. Finally we took off and Wendy was able to calm her down enough to fall asleep. For 30 minutes. then it started all over again. The first 4 or 5 hours were a true test. One of the guys on the trip, Joe, often would say "This wouldn't be happening if God didn't think you could handle it". I thought of that quote often and prayed it was true. It's amazing how slow 700 mph is with a crying toddler. Somehow (only by the grace of God) we made it to Detroit and our 8 hours of torture were over.
Or was it. We then went to customs and waited in one line, then had to wait in another line for close to an hour. We then got our luggage and waited in another line to get that rechecked, then yet another line to have our carry-ons rescreened (for the third time of the day) and finally on to the final flight, a quick zip to GR. And Blen played and giggled the whole flight (all 30 minutes of it).
It was great to see all the support of those who made it to the airport to greet us. What a homecoming. 24 hours after we left Addis airport, we were in GR and finally driving home. Blen fell asleep on the ride home and went straight to bed.
Well that's over. I have worried, fretted, layed awake nights, gnashed my teeth over the last 2 years thinking about the flight home with a toddler who doesn't speak my language and has been in an orphanage much of her life. After the flight, I realized i didn't take it seriously enough. If I had known how it actually would go, would I have still gone ahead and done it? Fair question. She slept most of the threee hours waiting to board the plane, then woke up as we boarded. We thankfully got seats in the middle of the plane but with no seats in front of us, just a psuedo-aisle and video screen on the wall. Blen wasn't too excited to be on the plane and wanted wendy to be walking around with her which she of course could't do during taxi and takeoff. The only person in our row asked to be moved almost immediatley and thankfully was soon after takeoff. The flight from Addis to Amsterdam takes about 8 and a half hours and Blen slept off and on for most of the flight. Wendy and I on the other hand didn't. Wendy couldn't get comfortable enough to fall asleep while holding Blen and I tried to help make her comfortable as much as possible and actually held Blen a couple times while she was asleep. It was a long night watching other people sleep, but not too bad as far as Blen was concerned. Oh, but her ears hurt real bad on the descent, but usually people understand that and have sympathy for the kid in those instances.
We got off the plane in Amsterdam at 7 AM and went directly into the security clearance for our flight to Detroit. Once through, we had a little, oh about 45 minute, til we boarded again. This time it really went poorly. Blen was very irritable at this point, we loaded and she immediately started to cry/moan/squirm/writhe/scream/bawl etc etc as we waited for the plane to finish loading and then of course we waited for the plane to be de-iced. This took probbly another half hour with the engines off and the plane dead quiet except for Blen and her carrying on. It was agony. For everyone. Finally we took off and Wendy was able to calm her down enough to fall asleep. For 30 minutes. then it started all over again. The first 4 or 5 hours were a true test. One of the guys on the trip, Joe, often would say "This wouldn't be happening if God didn't think you could handle it". I thought of that quote often and prayed it was true. It's amazing how slow 700 mph is with a crying toddler. Somehow (only by the grace of God) we made it to Detroit and our 8 hours of torture were over.
Or was it. We then went to customs and waited in one line, then had to wait in another line for close to an hour. We then got our luggage and waited in another line to get that rechecked, then yet another line to have our carry-ons rescreened (for the third time of the day) and finally on to the final flight, a quick zip to GR. And Blen played and giggled the whole flight (all 30 minutes of it).
It was great to see all the support of those who made it to the airport to greet us. What a homecoming. 24 hours after we left Addis airport, we were in GR and finally driving home. Blen fell asleep on the ride home and went straight to bed.
Welcome home! How I wish I could have been there to see Joel's face when he saw his Mommy and Daddy! You two were so brave to endure all this stress and obstacles to bring home a sister for Joel. John, you are so articulate and expressive of your feelings and observations. It has been a joy to read of your adventures. Keep them coming! Many more tears and worries ahead, but it will get better, day by day. One day at a time. God loves you. Aunt Susan
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