Planes, Trains, and Automobiles!

The title tells it all. Today, the longest day known to mankind, was a day of  different modes of transportation. Bus to the airport, train to our gate, plane to our destination, train to another gate, plane to final destination, then our van to ride home. We got up at 6:30am and our bellboy was prompt to get our luggage at 7:45. We are ready to be done tipping the bellboys! It isn't a huge amount of money (just $1 per piece) but after checking in and out of four hotels and several drivers from airports, we are ready to hold on to the money. Anyhow, we checked out of our hotel. It cost us $618 HK! The equivalent of around $200 US, we were on our way home. We caught the hotel's 8am shuttle to the airport and we checked in to Hong Kong's airport at the United desk......many, many, many desks away!

We checked in our luggage and there was a slight problem. Since Mariah was considered an orphan, she was not entitled to a checked piece of luggage. I was offended later when Jeremy told me that is what they said. She is not an orphan!! She is Mariah Claire LuPing Kaminski, our daughter. They really were sweet and allowed the extra piece at no additional cost. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 10:25am. We didn't even have enough time to get breakfast! The gate we had to wait at was FOREVER away. So, we boarded a train and it took us where we needed to be. We waited at the gate for just a little while then they called for us to board the plane. 

Okay, I admit it....Mariah wore jammies almost the entire trip. I just wanted her to be comfy. Here is a picture of my dad as Mariah made her way over to him and she sat ever so patiently.


To be honest, we were dreading the trip. We went and spoke to the United office at our hotel in Guangz*ou and the United rep told us that our 777 plane did not have the personal entertainment on the back of the seats like it did on the way to Ch*na.  We were a bit concerned on how we would occupy our new 18 month old quite active child. 

We also knew how difficult it was for our travel agent to find a flight for all of us. So we knew it was a full flight. That could only meant that we would be sitting in groups of three...Jeremy, me and a complete stranger and of course a baby on our laps. Mom and dad had their seats ahead of ours, also with a complete stranger. Well, there was no choice but to just muscle through the 15 1/2 hour flight.

We boarded the flight. Our seats were the very last two rows. When we reached our seats, we noticed the very same entertainment systems as our Chicago to Beijing flight....YEAH!!!!

Then as we were getting ready to taxi  to the runway, we noticed there were many empty seats. The girl next to me moved to an empty row and that left Jeremy, Mariah and me. Mom and dad also had an empty seat between them also. God was so good in providing those empty seats and entertainment systems for our trip.

Mariah was either exhausted or pretending that this was not happening because she slept a lot. Our flight was 15 1/2 hours long and she was awake for just about 2-3 hours of that trip. 


As we landed in Newark, NJ the flight attendant came over the PA announcing that this was the final flight for our captain. He was retiring after flying many years. So, as any other absolutely crazy, sleep-deprived, homesick mom, as we exited the plane I asked if we could have our picture taken with this man. I explained that whether he knew it or not, this flight was the most important flight of my entire life! He was gracious and a little teary-eyed as we posed for a very tired-looking (aka bad) picture.

We went through baggage claim in Newark and our daughter became a US citizen!!! No pictures allowed!! We were so excited. Again, no pomp and circumstance. In fact we got in trouble by one of the immigration officers as we were waiting for my parents. Evidently there is no standing around. I explained that the other really nice officer offered for us to stand there. He didn't really care. 


We were ushered into another room and told to have a seat. We didn't even have time to sit down and we were called back up to the window and handed back our Mariah's passport. That was it. We were all done. Mariah was now a citizen of the greatest country on the face of this earth.


The five hour layover was okay. Let's just say Newark is not my favorite airport. We were entertained by a pigeon inside eating the crumbs that Mariah dropped from the puffs she was eating. We were desperate for anything!


Then came security. Oh how I loathe security. I understand why they do it but after traveling for 23 hours, WE. WERE. DONE! Well, I was done. Mom and dad decided that they wanted to cause a little excitement. They/we were ushered into another room. The officer pulled out a souvenir for my Grandma Bash. It was a glass globe but evidently it looked like liquid. Once we convinced them it was a harmless globe, we were released to wait!


Mariah attracted a bit of attention. This attention was sweet though. Many questions from strangers that genuinely wanted to know about the adoption process. 


Finally, our plane began to board. The airlines have stopped allowing parents with children to board first. So, I had a sleeping Mariah in my arms and walked up to board with a group that was ahead of mine. Mom sort of panicked and said, "Are you sure you are allowed to do that?"  I just told my mom that I didn't care! I was holding a sleeping baby and I was boarding that plane! It all was fine.


We boarded the smallest plane I've ever ridden. On one side of the aisle there was room for 1 seat. Across from that seat were two seats. Jeremy took the aisle and got hit every time someone came down the aisle, including the stewardess. 


That flight landed in Columbus at 8:15pm. Little did we know that we landed after one of the biggest storms in many years. My sister and her hubby met us at the airport with our four kids and their three. It was a wonderful homecoming!! We missed our sweet kids like you wouldn't believe. I cried as I hugged each of them. My Ben probably had the biggest hug I have ever received. The picture below has Abbie, Rebecca, Ben, and Caleb greeting us.

Then my Ben just had to give me a private moment. How sweet is this picture? I wish it was a more clear picture but you get the idea. Can you see the love in this boy's eyes?

Even though we were exhausted, it was a good feeling to drive on roads where people actually obey the traffic laws! Our van was a welcome sight. As we left the airport, we saw many trees down and roads were closed. We arrived at Tammy and Don's house and there was no power. Tammy knew that we all would want a shower after being up for 27 hours, so the kids showered before the storm and we still had hot water for a much needed shower. 

Don and Tammy had a couple of trees down in their backyard. We missed the storm by only a few minutes. Mariah decided to put on a show for everyone! She played with all the kids and at one point she went over to Uncle Don and wanted him to hold her. She still prefers those men over women.

We got everyone home and settled in. I fell asleep on top of our bed, more accurately Abbie's bed, with Mariah. I was supposed to be putting her to bed. Mariah slept from 9:30pm until I bumped her bed the next morning at 10 o'clock. Even then, she was not all that happy.....until Pap allowed her a powdered sugar doughnut!


We waited in line at a gas station for over an hour just to fill our tank to come home. There seemed to be a panic about gasoline. We just wanted to get home!


We finally arrived in good ole WV at 4:30pm! Then I realized the degree of damage caused by this surprise storm. As I left for much needed groceries, there were no stores open.....NO POWER! Finally, Foodland was open for just a few hours. We got our milk, bread and a few other basics and came home.


It was so good to be home!!!!