Homecoming

It was finally time to go home. Our driver was coming before 7am and we needed to stuff ourselves with breakfast before then. And boy did we ever. Then it was off to the Guangzhou airport to get through security with all our oxygen stuff. We left the hotel almost on time...

Once we were at the front of the line to check in I knew there was a problem. We had no tickets out of Guangzhou. None of us. Jack, our guide, was all over the place from one counter to another. He tried everything, Robert was on the phone immediately with Delta, I was tearing up and humming...the kids were walking Grace around and we were all praying. There was nothing to be done but to buy new tickets to Beijing and try for a refund later. $1700 later we had our tickets and headed through security successfully with all our equipment! Hooray! We actually were going home. We waved goodbye to Jack (whom we love) and headed to the gate relieved.

Before we even boarded our flight Delta figured out what had happened. The flight to Guangzhou was a "Delta" flight partnered with China Southern Airlines. The guy at Delta tried to change our tickets without any fees and China Southern noticed it and just canceled it without any notice. Delta promised to refund the price we paid for our tickets and we rejoiced as we boarded the flight to Beijing.

Once in Beijing you would think we would be without issue. Of course not. In Bejing we found out there was no ticket for Grace. *Amy passes out*. (not really)

We will be road tripping until further notice.

Finally after about 20 more gray hairs they found it. She wasn't with us. She was on her own.
Grrrrrrr......

Then it was through security and 4 more people examining our batteries for the oxygen machine. Those batteries have been well seen and studied let me tell you. Finally after about 30 minutes they reluctantly let us through. We were off to the gate to board our second to last flight home.

Grace did really well on the long flight - and on most every flight actually. On the trip home we nebulized her mostly when she was asleep or interested in an inflight episode of the Mickey Mouse clubhouse. She slept more than all the rest of us combined on the flight home.

We arrived in Detroit so happy to be in America it was ridiculous. We practically ran to customs, proudly presented our paperwork and our new daughter, and smiled a lot at the TSA officer who was only slightly amused. Stamp here, stamp there and at 6:27pm Detroit time on May 19th, 2013,
Grace Marie Qiu Min Sprengel became a citizen of the United States of America.

She was very excited (not really - she had no idea what was happening). There are no words for how we felt. You may have to actually leave the country to fully appreciate it.

As is the pattern with our air travel - there was a hiccup in Detroit. Of course there was. The flight was delayed but only a half hour.

Fine. Whatever. On with it now!!

We touched down in Milwaukee, the last people off the plane and my heart was racing. Grace's heart was racing too (her's always is). :)

Stepping out of the long hallway I spotted a familiar face. My friend Linda, a fellow adoptive mama from China was there with her chinese daughter Jodi with a sign welcoming us home. I don't know or remember how she got to wait there - but it was so nice to see her!

As we walked toward the concourse we saw a large (very large) group of loved ones. Family. Friends who are family. Signs and bubbles and happy faces. Robert and I were in front and Maddie and Jake insisted on being the ones to walk Grace in. I will never forget it. It was a wonderful homecoming.

Look at those faces. I've never been prouder of Maddie and Jake then while in China. They are amazing with their new sister. They were un-selfish, loving, patient, understanding - and kind to each other!

Relief. That's the face we are all wearing. That is what joy mixed with relief looks like.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

8 flights from the time we left Milwaukee on May1st to the time we arrived home on May19.

This is Pat from Delta Milwaukee. 

Here's Rocky fighting for batteries in Beijing.

Here is the guy in Urumqi who said "no" to carrying oxygen inflight. He didn't understand my words but I'm pretty sure he understood how upset I was.

This is our last Chinese security. They almost didn't let us take the oxygen. They kept looking at Grace.
I'm pretty sure she won them over.

8 flights. 5 airports with repeat visits. 2 or 3 times we raaaaaan to our gate because the delays in security almost caused us to miss our flight.

I see only road-trips in our near future.

Each airport had hiccups. Missing tickets. Canceled tickets. Oxygen machine battles. Delayed flights. Re-routing due to rain. Unexpected layovers. There was not one airport experience that went off without hassle or drama. By the third trip to the airport I started twitching when we walked in.

If I knew a year ago what I know now,  I wouldn't change a thing.
I wouldn't change a thing.

Thank you - whoever you are reading this - for caring and praying and cheering us on. International travel is an amazing experience. Adoption is really something extraordinary. It's a miracle on earth. Adding a daughter with significant needs to our family is both terrifying and wonderful at the same time. We are her family now. She's our family now. It's like she has always been ours - we just had to get ready for each other.

Grace changed everything. Before we even saw her face...before we knew she was ours...all along the journey each of us has been changed. Perhaps she's helped change you too. I hope so, but she is only one of thousands of children who need what we all need...

Love. Hope. Healing. Family.

I look at her now, face to face and watch her make the faces in our house that I used to hope to see on facebook pictures and it takes my breath away. She's home.

She's really home.