March 28, We are home

Ok, so we are finally back in the “Good ol’ USA” in the “Great state of OHIO”. I think it was yesterday that we flew home. After being awake for more hours than a day should be, you sort of loose track of time.

We awoke around 0630 Moscow time (2330 EST) Thursday morning. We wanted to start the day with a good meal, so we went to the Gratzi restaurant, in the Marriott Tverskaya for breakfast one last time. We have been doing this every day since arriving back in Moscow. After figuring out how to eat within a budget, we were comfortable having breakfast daily. This went off without a hitch. As usual, the porridge was a hit with Eli and the pancakes were a hit with Mama and Papa.

We went back to the room to finish up packing. Most of this was done during the course of the day on Wednesday. Mama is quite efficient making things fit. She was even able to pack a smaller suit case to ease the transfer at our transfer in Atlanta. Anyway! We were to meet with Vladimir at 0830, so we went and checked out a few minutes earlier to avoid any delays.

Vladimir arrived on schedule, packed the small station wagon with luggage and passengers, the Swingle family 3, and we were on our way. After having some “issues” with motion sickness with our new family member, we were very much prepared with the usual bib with crumb catching pocket, not for crumbs, and zip lock bag (for overloading, if you know what I mean).

The traffic wasn’t too busy early on, but soon slowed to a stop. The normal driving methods still being utilized, darting from lane to lane, and occasionally, driving through parking lots, to “get ahead”. Debbie was very good at keeping Eli’s gaze focused through the front window. Having him looking at the “bashoy (big) and malinki (small) machineas”. As the trip grew on, so did his eyes, and just as we were arriving at the airport, he fell asleep. That didn’t last very long when transferring to stroller (very handy) and into the terminal. Praise God!! No Puking!! It’s amazing how not riding in the “back of the bus” can do for motion sickness.:)

Vladimir was very helpful getting us to the correct line, which was very long, for our 1155 Delta flight. Saying goodbye to these people that have crossed our path was very difficult. Were met so many Russian people that made our Journey soooo much easier. We were never left being unsure where we were supposed to stand, be, or go. Vladimir was no exception. Even though he was difficult for me to understand with his broken English, he was very friendly toward us. Always calling us “Timothy and Debra”. Very had saying goodbye. But we did.

We got our luggage cart, full of baggage, along with our “special package” into the long line. After standing for few minutes, an employee motioned for us to get out of line and to come to the front of the line. Did we mention these people really take care of the children? There must have been close to one hundred people in line to have their baggage scanned. Very nice!

After scanning the bags and talking with authority concerning our passports, airlines, and luggage, we were told to go to the far tables to have our checked luggage examined. Now, after traveling through Moscow a couple of other times and watching other passengers, we were well aware they really take their jobs seriously. I told Debbie if they opened our luggage, they were going to be in trouble (we sat on them to get them closed). I was placing the baggage on the table, and before I could get them on the table, the guy says they are good and have a good flight. No delays trying to close the bags.:)

The remainder of the check in was uneventful. The lady at the ticket counter moved us through quickly. Passport control wasn’t busy, and we were through quickly. On to the terminal entrance holding tank. Off with the shoes, everything on the belt and off with your belt, through the scanner and open carry on luggage for inspection. Those that travel know the routine. Then we sit and wait. Approx 90 minutes. Eli was very good, running all over the place keeping Mama and Papa busy. Welcome to parenthood.:)

Onto the aircraft we went. Again we were allowed to board quickly. We were in the center three seats in the middle of the rear section of the aircraft. This was to be our home for the next 12 hours. WHAT!!! The next how many hours?? You must be kidding? I thought this will be a nightmare. I have been, very much, not looking forward to this part of our “Journey”. How can a 22 month old child be expected to sit in a seat, in one spot, for 12 hours? This will have to be a leap of faith. God will have to handle this…to much for me to process.

I can see now how people say that children adapt very well to new things. This was the case for lil Eli. Everything was an adventure. The tray table was one. He must have put that table up and down a hundred times during the flight. I felt sorry for the lady sitting in front of him. He kept banging the table up and down, while she was trying to sleep magazines were great sources of entertainment. Mama was prepared (again) for being “confined” for a long period of time. With books, small containers of cereal (this kid ate for 12 hours straight I think) and different toys that were “exposed” very strategically. Did he sleep you might venture to ask? Oh yes he slept. Maybe 90 minutes total out of 17 hours. The only time he made much noise was when we tried to get him to sleep. This was only attempted twice. The first time it worked. The second time, not so much.

After 12 hours of flying we were in Atlanta. Now was the interesting part, I thought. Our son is now a US citizen. Just like that! We landed on US soil and he is a citizen. Of course we had to go to US customs and have our I-94 customs for and passports inspected. The officer asked if we had “the package”. We answered, with big grins on our faces, “yes”. He wasn’t as friendly as we were hoping. No “welcome home”. No congratulations. Just very official. “You will have to pick up your bags and go to another Customs counter.” Don’t put the “package” away we would need it later.

We pick up our luggage and were told where to go. Lane 2 all the way around. We pushed our cart and stroller around “land 2” and were met by more Customs officers. They took our “package” and told us to have a seat. We sat for a few minutes, it was sort of refreshing to sit and rest a moment. An officer came and got us. He opened the envelope and reviewed Eli’s medical report. Told us to expect his citizenship document in 3 to 6 months, sometimes a little sooner. Asked us if we had any questions and we said we didn’t. He then told us which way to go, and we were on our way again. He told us congratulations, but no “welcome home”. How disappointing.

We quickly dropped our luggage off for rechecking, our baggage was never inspected with us present this time either. Again we entered another long line, but were quickly brought to the front of the line. Very nice! Off with the shoes, everything on the belt to be scanned, off with your belt, through the scanners and we were on our way again.

We found another chair to sit and let Eli out of the stroller and stretch a bit. Then we headed onto Concourse D via the tram. We found some “American” food at the Burger King and pigged out. That was the best tasting hamburger I have had in more than a month.

We went on to our gate and waited some more. Eli was running all around, exploring all these new things he had never been exposed to before we came along. He was having a great time on 90 minutes sleep. Our next flight to Columbus was at 2115 (9:15 pm). We walked out on the runway toward our plane. The temperature was very mild in the mid sixties. Onto the aircraft we went and found our seats. Eli wasn’t sure he wanted to sit this time around. Debbie asked me to sit next to her until we got underway since we purchased a seat for him on all three of our flights from Krasnoyarsk to home. Our extra seat was across the aisle. Eli didn’t want to sit on either of our laps. I said I was going to move to the other seat to allow him to sit in his own seat. He sat for little while, but was in Mama’s lay during “take off”. Within minutes he was down and out for the count. He slept all of the 1 hour and 15 minutes flying.

At Columbus we picked up our curb checked stroller and headed into the building since it was raining. Eli, still sleeping, was placed into the stroller once we were up the stairs. All of the carry on luggage carefully placed for towing, and we headed to baggage claim. We were about half the way to baggage claim when all of a sudden Debbie exclaimed, “did you get the passports out the seat back pocket?” I said no. Dropped all of the bags, turned around and started running back toward the gate. As I got there, the crew was just coming up the stairs and I said “I left our passports on the aircraft”. An airport employee turned and swiped her badge for the door release and opened the door to the stairway. I didn’t ask permission, I just ran through the door, down the stairs and onto the tarmac. I ran over to the aircraft and the stairs were still down. I ran up the stairs to be greeted by a totally dark aircraft cabin. Let me tell you. The inside of an aircraft, at night, with the lighting turned off, is very dark. My first thought was, “how am I going to find which row we were in?” I ran down the aisle and stopped about were I thought we were sitting. I leaned in very close to the overhead bins to try to get a visual on the numbers. The lights, gleaming off the wet runway through the window provided just enough light that I was able to see the number “10” on the tag. We were in number “9”. “Thank you Jesus” I exclaimed. I reached into the seat back pocket were I had placed the passports, and put my hand right on them. I pulled them out and headed up the aisle and down the stairs. A worker saw me coming down the stairs and asked if he could help me. I said I had forgotten my passports. He said ok, that no one had called to let him know someone was coming back onto the tarmac.

I ran back to Debbie, picked up the bags and headed on down to claim our checked luggage.

Paula, my sister, volunteered to pick us up at the airport. I called and told her we had retrieved our luggage and we were ready to go home. She quickly arrived. I loaded all the bags. We loaded sleeping Eli into the car seat and head home. The trip home was longer then normal. I am usually very well adapted to the 1 hour drive, since Columbus is were I work. I was very thankful that Paula was driving; I couldn’t keep my eyes open. Debbie and I hadn’t been able to sleep on any of the flights.

We arrived home without a hitch around midnight on Thursday. It felt like the “day that would not end”. We quickly brought the bags into the house, took Eli upstairs and changed him into his PJ’s. He awoke briefly, but Mama put him to sleep. We showered quickly and headed off to bed around 1:00am. Debbie decided to sleep in Eli’s room. He decided that he had slept long enough round 0400 this morning. So, Mama is sleeping in her bed now and tonight is my turn to sleep in Eli’s room. I’m hoping for a different result. Sweet dreams my son!