Today is the day to return home and bring Ainsley to her new home that has been waiting since September 2006 for her to join us. We were happy to be able to partake of The White Swan's breakfast buffet one last time, as our pickup time for the airport was at 7am. We were all only too happy to get up and out early.
Our facilitator, Judy, helped us pick up our tickets, drop off baggage and get to the security check point for our flight from Guangzhou to Beijing.
We have been so thankful for the help of our Chinese facilitators and could not, nor would we want to, have taken this trip without their help.
The 3 hour flight went well, until the last half hour when Ainsley had a temper tantrum. All eyes were on us until the plane landed and she was calm again. Ainsley is just like any other 2 year old who wants their way. However, she is very intelligent and will surely learn quickly how to cope with not getting her way- or so we pray!
Again we were blessed to have help in transferring from the plane from Guangzhou to Beijing. We had to pick up 7 suitcases, catch a bus and transfer buildings. Thank God we had help from our facilitators Grace and Lot (his chosen English name) and appreciate their help. Richard forgot the stroller and had to return to baggage claim with Grace and take another bus to join the rest of us. We were so hungry and tired by the time we made it through the security check point and searched for "Western comfort food" at the airport. Thankfully we found Pizza Hut, again, and everyone pigged out. The Beijing airport had a wonderful Lego playplace and we spent several hours letting the kids run around and have fun. A few Chinese children tried to talk to them in Chinese, but they could not respond and looked at us parents confused.
We were excited to board our last plane from Beijing to Dulles, with Nana Carole probably the happiest, as she sat by herself. Richard and Stacy had enough seats between them for all the children and Ainsley on Stacy's lap (the whole time, may we mention). Olivia got very sick and vomited most of the trip home and helped obtain quite a collection of barf bags.
Sleep was mostly prohibited by one issue or another, but we were going home and that was exciting. Also exciting was landing and returning to the United States after this 14 hour flight, and home of the English language, at least for most of the people we speak with. We could have kissed the ground when we landed.
Ainsley was officially a United States Citizen, with all rights and responsibilities, upon arriving at Dulles Airport.
By one am on Thursday, Nov. 20th we were all safe in our own homes and Ainsley asleep in her new room and new crib. Ethan, Olivia and Sophia also talked about how happy they were to sleep in their own beds. Ethan asked Nana Carole to spend the night again with us but she politely declined, as she was also overjoyed to be back at her own home. We were so thankful to have Nana Carole come to experience this journey with us. She was a tremendous help and blessing to our entire family.
We are grateful that God allowed us to travel to China to have our new and precious daughter, Ainsley. It was not an easy trip, full of lots of road bumps, but everything pertaining to this incredible little girl has been an answer to prayer and we believe that God has answered and honored our prayers. Ainsley is healthy, happy, and attached to her new family and we are in love with her. Only a loving, merciful and all powerful God could do such a miracle for our family! |
