The Oh-So-Long Way Back Home

Had not been looking forward to our return trip home.

That morning the kids were crying a lot, but the car ride to the airport was fairly quiet.

Got into the terminal with no trouble, then had to wait for our agency representative to bring passports and the embassy packet that needed for US Customs when we landed in Atlanta. While waiting, I redistributed the contents of the two main suitcases to even the weight.

Finally she arrived and gave us all we needed, plus a heavy packet of papers that we were asked to deliver to out local agency office on behalf of other families. We quickly stuffed that unexpected packet into one of our suitcases and we were off into the Russian security area, where there now was a long line. After a minute of two an agent waved us past the others in line saying that families with children go to the front. Great!

That got us through the baggage scan line, but we still had to wait for the Delta agent to check our paperwork and others to search through out checked bags. By the time we were past all of that Andrew, still being carried, was beginning to fuss and cry; so we got him down and I walked him around and around in circles. That made him smile and laugh, much to the relief and then amusement of the other travelers. Next it was our turn to check the bags.

Since the kids were crying again, Gayle was told to move on through, while I worked with the agent. This is when we discovered that one of our bags was overweight. The agent said we could repack, but with the kids both struggling, we just agreed to pay the fine. Did not realize until later that it was the packet of papers for the agency that put us over.


This photo is of the train stop between Moscow and Bryansk where there are many stuffed animal vendors.

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Now Gayle and I switched duties because she knew where the credit cards were packed. Bethany was trying her best to escape the whole time. While I held Andrew in one arm, she kept squirming and twisting out of my hold. Fortunately, she thought it was funny and so remained relatively quiet. There was some additional problem with the ticketing regarding Andrew’s fare, so Gayle had to remain at the counter a very long time.

Once through, we moved toward the line where we had to show our passports and turn back in the second part of our migration card. We never made it to the end of the line. A worker saw us coming with the crying kids and quickly escorted us to the front of the line. Once through, we spotted the gate waiting area, which was of course full, so we camped out on the floor nearby.

Spent the time playing and walking with the kids, hoping that tiring them out was the best plan. We were trying to wait for the security line at the gate to shorten, but people kept coming, so finally we gave up and got into line. The kids were quiet this time, but again we were flagged down by someone and told to go to the front of the line. We even passed though security without removing our shoes.

They did take a long time searching our carry on bags though, even with both kids struggling the whole time. It was very stressful to keep trying to distract them from crying. All of us were exhausted by then.

Finally, we were heading on board. I had two carryon bags, and Bethany. Gayle had one carryon, and Andrew. Still, all in all, we were managing–tense and overheated from the struggle–but managing. Soon we were at our seats...but they were occupied. Oh No!

I went to get a flight attendant, while Gayle talked to the people in our seats. They moved, we stowed our bags and got seated. Center row; three seats. Gayle and I sat on the aisles and raised the armrests out of the way. The kids would share the seat in between.

Soon it was time for take-off. Andrew was in Gayle's lap and I tried to buckle Bethany into the center seat. That restraint set her off on a long tantrum. We tried to calm her, but couldn’t. Tried to give her something to eat, but she just mashed it up in her mouth and did not swallow. I had to scoop it back out for fear of her choking amid all her screaming.

After all else failed, I just put her in my lap and held tight until she calmed down and stopped screaming and fighting. It seemed like a very, very long time for us...and all those nearby.

I took note of some business travelers around us. Someone must have failed to tell them that this flight is frequented by newly adopted children and is sometimes called the Flight From Hell. There were other crying children here and there throughout our section; much in contrast to the previous two return flights we had taken. This time it was good to hear kids crying, made us feel better knowing that it wasn't just us.

After the initial disturbance, Andrew and Bethnay were fairly quiet. Andrew slept most of the time, Bethany was constantly fussing with the toys, books, magazines and everything else she could get her hands on. On the positive side the flight seemed shorter than all the others, because we sure weren’t bored.

The moment the wheels of our plane touched ground in Altanta, Bethany and Andrew became U.S. citizens (while still retaining their Russian citizenship).

We moved through Customs and security without much trouble, then were steered out of the main lines to a separate area where they took our embassy packet and we waited for maybe half an hour for the kids’ passports to be cleared and stamped.

We tried to excercise the kids while we waited. Andrew especially put on quite a show. He would get that big smile of his, start running and then plop on the ground, get right back up and start again. Run, plop, run, plop; always smiling and laughing.

We stopped at the food court to get something to eat, but Andrew was more in need of a nap then a meal, so started crying. We just chucked it all in the trash and headed for the gate. Soon they both fell asleep and much to our relief, slept most of the way on the flight to Phoenix.

We landed early in Phoenix, but had to wait a half hour in the plane for the gate to clear. Ooh so close!

Finally, we got off and were greeted by a gathering of friends and family waiting past security. We hung out for awhile and showed the kids off, then got into our car that had just been dropped off for us and headed for home!

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Two years and many thousands of miles later, we all walked though the door of our home, ready for our new life together to begin.

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