April 4, 2012
We got up and ready to go early. Of course we couldn't sleep and I was worried we would over sleep so we got ready and our plan was to check out, head to the airport and then get some breakfast before we left. While Emery and I were waiting for Tony to check out and American man came up and was talking to me. He preceded to tell me that our flight was going to be delayed until about 5:30 this afternoon instead of 11:10 this morning! Well I just started to cry! I was devastated. I was so ready to get home. He did stay there was a chance that it may leave at 12:30. That I could deal with, but not 5:30pm. The flight was delayed because there had been storms in Texas yesterday and flights had been grounded and our plane wouldn't be here until then. Tony, being optimistic, said well lets go on to the airport and see whats going on. Jeff, Amy and Luke were suppose to be on that flight with us too. So we all get to the airport and sure enough it is delayed until 5:30pm. They are at one ticket agent and we are at another. Well I start crying again. Right there with the ticket agent. I'm holding Emery and I am boo hooing! I am SO ready to get home. All I could think was that we were going to have to sit there for 6 extra hours and then miss our connection and not be able to get home until the next day! DEVASTATED!!!!!!!!!!!! So I got Tony to get me on face book and get the prayer warriors on it. We needed another plane to get us home! And boy did they come through for us! Tony stood at that ticket agent for over an hour. Jeff and Amy's agent had given them a few options but none of them were very good. There were going to be several connections and just not a good option other than waiting! But our guy just kept typing, running off and talking to people and coming back. He even told me to take Emery and just leave Tony at the desk. His English wasn't very good and he wasn't giving Tony any info, just typing and running off. I was just chasing Miss Priss around. Jeff, Amy and Luke had gone to eat and were waiting on us to finish up and come eat. Finally after over an hour he came running past me and gave us a thumbs up and was smiling. So I walked back up to see what was happening and God had answered our prayers! He was able to book us on another airline, Cathey Pacific, direct to Chicago and we would still be able to make our connection. Talk about happy momma, this was one happy momma!!!!!!!! He said we must hurry, come on. He grabbed our carry on bag and took off to the CP ticket desk. He even told Tony that they were better than United and that we would be very happy! I think I could have flown with luggage to get home. He talked to them and got everything set up. While that was going on I had to go find our friends and let them know about that flight and see if they could get on it. But they decided they didn't have time! So again I had to say good buy to our friends. But we were off to the gate. I tried Skyping with the kids to let them know that we were going to make it home on time. I hated the thought that the might have to go to bed thinking we weren't going to be home on time! But of course I couldn't get them. So I tried Beth and got her! Yep you guessed it, was crying again! I was so happy to really be going home!!!!!!!!!!! So she assured me that she would get in touch with the kids and let them know!
Finally it was time for that 14 1/2 hour flight! Cathey Pacific was great! They were really nice and friendly. There seemed to be more room on the flight, the food was good and the service was awesome. Emery did really good. She slept about the first 2 hours and then woke up, ate and played around a little. I gave her some benedryl and she finally sent to sleep and slept about the last 4 hours or so. Finally we were in Chicago! It was so nice to be on American soil! We made it through all the check points, we had to claim our luggage and then recheck it, go through immigration with Emery, declare what we had bought, there was a lot to do there. I was a bit stressed about making our next flight. We originally had a 4 hour layover but we were later leaving Hong Kong so we only had about 2 1/2 hours to do everything. While we were waiting on our luggage a TSA
The flight was only about 1 1/2 hours. The close we got the more butterflies I had! I could not wait to see our kiddos! Once we could see the ground and the captain announced we were approaching Tony and I both started crying! We were so happy to FINALLY be home! After we landed and turned the phone on we had a message from Beth telling us that the kids were at the gate waiting, music to our ears! I was so thankful that she was able to get them through security and that we would get to see them first! We had to wait on the tar mack for our carry on bag and we would see them in the window waving at us! Yep we are still crying! As we walked out there they were! Those were the best hugs! Many tears of joy from us all!!!!! Emery just took them all in for a few minutes and then went right to Allie! She was a happy girl! Emery was so happy, she was smiling and jabbering. The boys loved on her and she was fine with it! We were ready to see all our family and friends waiting in their "Emery" shirts. As we rounded the corner camera flashes started and so did the tears. Happy tears! Emery took it all in and it was like she knew it was all about her! She smiled, gave kisses, went to almost anyone who wanted her. We could not have ask for her to be any better. I had another friend/ former co-worker there to take pictures for us. I wanted to be sure we captured every minute and I didn't want to have to worry about it! It was such a relief! As we stood around talking, Tony checked on our luggage and it was till in customs in Chicago and they would have to deliver it tomorrow. I could have cared less, I was so happy to be home. Then Beth told me that the ticket counter really didn't want to let the kids back through security. I had left her all the info I had been given all the times I had called to check on it and with some convincing they finally agreed to let them through. We stopped by to show Emery off and thank them for letting them back. I had really wanted them to be the first ones to get to see her since they didn't get to go with us! Again, God is good! All the time!
We were so blessed by so many family and friends coming out to welcome us home! It was the perfect end to a wonderful journey to our precious Asian princess!
We came home to a clean house thanks to my mother-in-law and a manicured yard and dinner thanks to Paw-paw (my stepdad). It was so nice to be home and have real food again!!!!!!!!
Now let the next chapter begin! We are looking forward to sharing her with everyone!
Hugs and love to you all!!!!!
Renee
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