The Sturm's Life: We Are Going Home! (Oct 7th)

So our original flight to return home was on October 1st (we only estimated a 5 week stay). So on September 30th we cancelled our flight and rebooked our tickets for Friday, October 14th. We already had our visa appointment at this time so we took our chances that we would have our visa in hand on Thursday, October 13th. We rebooked 4 tickets and bought a one-way ticket, costs totaling $1050.00. So after coming down from our high Thursday night of having the visa in hand we ate dinner and we were about to start packing. It is 6pm and the lights go out. I fumbled around for our flash light (future families, a good thing to have since power outages are common) and we finished eating. Two hours later the electricity comes back on, kids are in bed and we finally start to pack at 8:30 pm.

The next morning we arrive at the airport 2 1/2 hours early, pass immigration, and now we are excited to check in. The kids and I wait alongside a wall while my husband chats with the ticket agent. He turns around and gives me a look and I inquire about his long hard stare. Continental Airlines had no record of 4/5 of us flying today, only the 1 way ticket we purchased. My husband shows them the confirmation email they sent to us with the confirmation code. After 5 minutes of my husband and the ticket agent going back and forth he was led behind the ticket counter into an office with a manager for Continental Airlines. Stressed and ready to cry I hold it together for the sake of my kids. Once again we are caught in this game of waiting, waiting to see if we are going to be met with good news or bad news. After an hour I ask the ticket agent if I can go behind the counter and talk to my husband. He says sure and points me in the direction. Wow, that was easy. I almost laughed. I find him sitting in a chair while a Continental Airlines employee is typing with the clicking sound of her nails as fast as she can. I gave him a look and whisper, "We should have confirmed the flight last night". Um yeah, marriage tip #1 Do not voice the obvious in a highly stressed situation ever! After 16 years you would have thought I had learned that one by now. I immediately look and whisper, "I am so sorry, Its not your fault. I am sorry". I don't think there was a response so I sheepishly left the office and went back to say to my kids and our translator, yes, they have seats on the flight, but I don't know what the hold up is. After 2 hours of waiting we hear, "Last call for Continental flight #3454". Ten minutes after this announcement was made my husband finally emerges with 5 boarding passes. After 2+ hours we have confirmed seats. Next, we run to pay the taxes (you cannot do this without your boarding pass) and up the escalator through security. We give hurried good-byes to our newly found friend (our translator and driver ) with tears from the 2 oldest in our family (no, not the kids). As we are in the security line my daughter tells me she's about to get sick. My reaction was, No, you can't. And then I gave her a bag just in case. We take off running again through the terminal to our gate to catch the plane. We were the last ones to board. I am so thankful the flight was not full and for Yessica for being so kind and helping us from beginning to end. She was on the tarmac seeing our plane depart and as it pulled away from the gate our newly adopted son and her were blowing kisses. I told him how she had helped us get on the plane to the United States. She knew he was going to a land of freedom and opportunity. I was a crying mess, my husband was a mess. We just looked at each other dumb founded at what just took place over the last 48 hours. The stress was non-stop. And now as the plane pushes back we are free to leave after 40 days, leaving with a new son taken from what is familiar, with a daughter that impressed me with her Spanish, and now my middle child who I hope knows Mom still loves him and even more, and a husband who impressed me every single day. God bless the U.S.A.!