After traveling for around 29 hours we finally made it home (Jan 30th) with no more flights! WOO HOO.
We started our day at 5 am China time where we got up, I took my Dramamine, we finished last minute packing, had our bags out the door by 6 am and were down in the lobby 20 mins later to meet a guide and another couple to head to the airport. We said goodbye to the Sherpa family by their airline check in. This couple was so special to us as our boys were from the same orphanage, we traveled together to visit it and their finding spots, along with other adventures. We also had a lot in common with our adoption journeys and both hope to adopt again in a few years hoping we are on the same time frame to travel again together. What a beautiful couple, friendship, and kinship we were blessed to have with them! The Sherpa family were heading to Hong Kong then on to their home in New Mexico.
Our guide then took us to our airlines counter which was actually 2 areas that both had long lines. She was with us as our airline out of Guangzhou was a domestic one with few agents speaking English. She stayed with us all the way to the TSA check point. We were so grateful to have her with us. Luckily our gate wasn't too far from the check point and we quickly got on the plane.
Nian slept the whole flight to Shanghai, which was about 2 1/2 hours. China Southern is a really nice airline with nice wide aisles, seats, and high ceilings with lots of luggage storage. Their food is pretty good too!
We had a 6 1/2 hour layover in Shanghai so we collected our luggage, and headed to the Delta counter to check them back in for the flight home. I think one agent was telling us we had to wait until 230 pm to check in, well it wasn't even 11 yet so I wasn't going to hang out with my luggage for 3.5 hours so another agent got us checked in. We then headed to find something to eat. They had a few restaurants up the escalators so we headed up, Upon reaching the top Nian was being poking at getting off, come to find out his pants which were all too big for him had fallen down. So we got by baba and I pulled them and tighten them again. Apparently I got a couple of dirty looks from some other local mom's due to this. I told Joe it was a good thing I hadn't seen these looks or I would have come unglued. I find it funny that they would give me dirty looks when the kids there run around in split pants with their diapers hanging out, so really what's the difference. AND I was a tad cranky at this point so bring it on...... ugh
We managed to kill a few hours going through security "again", then getting some food before heading to our gate. Nian was kept pretty busy watching the plane from the huge windows and taking a few different trips on the people movers, he LOVED them. In China people just stand up at some point prior to boarding and get in line. There is no rhyme or reason for who goes first they just line up. And if ever, anywhere while in line, you leave an inch of room they will get in front of you. I witnessed this at store check outs many times during our trip. It's amazing. Thankfully when it came time to start boarding an agent let us go in early since we had Nian with us. For some reason they once again checked our carry on bags for any liquids and the bottle of water we just purchased had to be tossed. I'm not really sure why that was since we had already gone through the TSA security and normally you can bring whatever you purchase in the terminal on the plane with you but it's the way they roll.
We got our seats and got settled for the long flight home.. and let me tell ya, IT WAS LONG... Nian was good until about mid way through. Then I think we lost some friends around us on the plane. lol and NO I really didn't care. He was tired, I was tired, it was a long flight. We spent the majority of it the remainder in the back of the plane rocking, or walking the aisles. People aren't as friendly about a little one walking the aisles as I'd expected, yet again didn't care... The flight attendants loved him and enjoyed our visits. He really didn't want any comfort from Joe, but he didn't have much choice when with about 4 hours left I started to get sick. I think that helped calm those friends around us a bit, they seemed to be more understanding with Nian's fussiness upon seeing my many bags. Good times I tell ya!!! Lets just say I chose the wrong dinner for that flight. One of the flight attendants spent a bit of time chatting with us about her adoption of 3 girls from Guatemala. We had some really good talks. Nian finally feel asleep for a good few hours with about 3 left to go. Then he was a trooper from there on.
Customs was a breeze. One of the agents sent us to a special line which put us in front of everyone else. We had to do additional work here since we were adopting, but once done Nian became a US CITIZEN WOOT WOOT.. Our little American boy. Much like the consulate I was expecting a bit more to this great new life change but they just take you to a room, an agent looks over your papers, stamps his passport and leads you back out of the room explaining when his actual papers will come in the mail and congratulates you the sends you on your way. At this point Joe had got our luggage and we headed to another booth with our passports. We got in line and a few minutes later I turned around to see Joe and our luggage a few people behind us. I said Hey come up here, he replied just come back here, UH NO... I said no you come up here I am done playing those games. Seriously... I loved China and it's people but I was SO OVER their cutting in line I was NOT going to budge on that in our home country... I think they got the hint because they let Joe in front of them. Listen... I just got off a 13 hour flight where I hadn't slept at all, my child was not happy for the last half of it and I myself was sick. My patience at this point was slim to none at all!!!!!
We got our bags rechecked for the flight to GRR and went once again through the TSA screening.. Yeah that was fun, but at least we got to go through a short scanner since Nian was with us so it didn't take long at all. I was so ready to be home we went to get on the plane when they said anyone needing extra assistance can board,. I mean really they ALWAYS let people with small children on the plane early. I thought for a minute the guy wasn't going to let us go but I wasn't waiting.. We all slept on that short flight home, and then Nian was ready to get out of our seats and off the plane. I'm sure everyone was glad he had his meltdown at this point instead of on the flight. but you guessed it I did't really care we were home and that's what mattered!!!!!
We were greeted by our family and a few friends and felt the love and excited from them all at seeing the Buss family finally united. Nian wasn't sure what to make of it all at first but he slowly warmed up and let his smiles shine through, He even played a little with his new cousin Jennelle, I think giving him her dog helped!
Upon getting home we were also greeted with flowers, balloons, gift bags for Nian and a wonderful surprise of having our bathroom redone. We had plans to do it prior to heading for China but just ran out of time. We previously had tile surround and sliding doors. Well let me say trying to wash a child in a tub with door tracks and doors is not fun! Which is why we were going to redo it. What a wonderful gift our friends and family gave us and we will forever be grateful to them for it.
Thanks for following our journey. I will try to update the missing days of our trip as time allows. Nian keeps me pretty busy these days. He's a typical 2 year old, go, go, go.... And we're trying to get our sleep schedule on US time so it's been a challenge to say the least. But that's all part of parenting and we wouldn't change it for anything.
Here are some photo's from our trip home, our homecoming a the airport, and our new bathroom.
God's blessing to you!
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| New Shower Surround |
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| 1 of 4 squares on the shower curtain- Love, Hope, Joy, Peace |
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| WE MADE IT |
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| With the Grandparents. can ya tell which are is mine? |
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| With new cousin Jennelle |
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| Feeling the love... |
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| Hanging out checking out all the flights in Guangzhou |
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| People mover in Shanghai |
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| YEAH there's our ride to the US! |
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| Nian on ALL of our domestic flights. |
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| Stacking cups at the big window in Shanghai. |
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| Beware while in bathroom as objects may randomly knock you off your feet! |
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| Yes you can even track how much longer the fun will last! |
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| Our flight coming into Shanghai, Lots of water! |
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