March 2 and 3, 2016

This day we were headed home. If all went well, it would be about thirty-six hours until we fell into a real bed. 36.  Here we go.

It was a relief to just get on the plane.

We left Guangzhou and had a layover in Beijing. There was a family whom we did not know before this trip and they lived ten minutes away from us in Alabama. It was surreal to get to China, meet the other adoptive families, and hear southern accents. It was even more surreal to ask these people where they were from and to find out that they lived, literally, a ten minute drive from our house in Alabama. Wow.  We'd run into them through the whole two week process, we stood in lines together, we rode on airplanes together, we chit-chatted, but even if you had time to visit, which we DID NOT, you didn’t have the energy. (Also?  There are  a LOT of conservative Christian families in international adoption. We are not, and this always gets in the way of any bonding that might take place. I knew it going in and wasn't looking to make super close friends. Still, I really liked them and we are connected in deep ways.) Regardless, it was nice to have familiar faces for every inch of this journey home.

In Beijing we all made our way across the airport and to our next gate. Each of us stopped, in shock, at the windows. Smog.  I mean, you know that China in the winter is polluted, but whoa. Nothing prepares you.  I've talked to several people who've said the extent of  "You know, before I got to China, I didn't really understand the need for the EPA, now I do. We need them."  Yes, yes, we do.  It was so hazy that we couldn't see more than three terminals from where we stood. Whole airplanes, gone in the pollution.

Airports and airplanes, crush of humanity, waiting, walking, exhaustion, repeat and repeat.

At some point, we landed in Detroit where Luna became a US citizen when her Chinese passport was stamped with that special blue ink. ( American immigration was the worst part of both adoption trips. Those people, in general, hate their jobs and hate other people.) We have a video, of the girls on a moving sidewalk in the terminal in Detroit, we’re all kind of weary and wobbly and hurrying to catch our next flight. K-Man's voice can be heard, asking Luna, "How's it feel to be a United States’ citizen, Si Yu?” One child is yelling in Mandarin, the other is whining, “My stomach is still hurting!” That’s how it works, these are huge, life changing occurrences and they’ve been reduced to small footnotes by pressure and exhaustion.

Finally,  I was sitting on the last plane, waiting on them to deice it, and I started rocking back and forth, I told K-Man, "I think I'm beginning to go a little crazy...."

And then, Sweet Home Alabama... a huge thing in our lives was about to be over and a new chapter started...our friends and family were waiting inside of that airport and I couldn't get to them fast enough. (Special thanks to Carla Blakenship for taking time out of her life to show up and take these -the good ones- photos.)

Middle Child was anxiously watching for the flight display to change from "landed" to "arrived." 

Suddenly, we were home. Thank god, home.

The look on her face- Yes, babe, all of those people already love you.

We introduced Luna to everyone, who graciously already knew not to push her, and didn't. It was still too much. I can't even imagine her little worn-out heart and mind. Right after our family picture she totally melted down. What amazing courage she had. Thankfully, she also had her bàba and he always made it better. (The next morning, after a decent night's sleep, K-Man would call his mother and Luna would run to the phone. "Nǐ hǎo nǎinai ! Nǐ hǎo nǎinai!" (Hello, grandmother!)

I called the fingers the "Chinese smile," it's in all the photos. Luna had them up right before this photo was taken and right after it she completely fell apart. Our family was back together, again.

We were home. The next day would begin the next chapter in our lives, but, at that moment, we were home...and headed to bed.