The Rest of the Story - Part 2

After a fitful night, everyone went up to breakfast, but I stayed back.  Still didn't feel well.  The positive side of our stay downtown Shanghai was meeting with the McW family, another Deaf/hearing couple who had just adopted a sweet deaf boy a few days before.  It was nice to meet with them.  I was still feeling very anxious and worn.

Ken and Hannah headed back to the airport to get us "in line" for the day's flight to LA and to check out the airport hotel.  That was a tough several hours while they were gone.  The kids and I tried to get out, but it was not a family-(or stroller-) friendly place.  We ended up ordering room service, eating, napping, then finally going out to get some food for boys.  The walk over to Pizza Hut was a chore, thanks to lots of stairs and major heat, but it was nice to get out of the hotel.  We were only there a few minutes before the boys started fussing and, of course, all eyes were on us.  I quickly asked for a box to go and our receipt.  When we got out, I saw Hannah and Ken walking our direction.  Just seeing them made me cry from relief.
 
Ken said four of us had a very good chance of going home on the evening flight. The AA people encouraged us to split up because all seven of us making this overbooked flight would be impossible.

We discussed it and all agreed, through tears, that splitting up would be best since it would get us home.

We went back to hotel, packed, and left for airport hotel.  Due to the look of the outside, we were surprised at how nice it was.  It probably would have been smart to just stay there in the first place, but we are glad we got to meet with our friends downtown.  The seven of us ate at the buffet, but I still wasn't hungry.  We went up to our room, showered, dressed and split up the luggage.  Ken decided to go ahead and bring all luggage on the off chance we all could make the flight.

Back to the line at 8:40pm, the AA lady said it "looked good" for all of us.  Tears.  Hope.  But cautious hope.  The girls and I walked laps while waiting and thanked God for everything He had done for us so far.  We were so thankful.  I told the girls I felt like I just couldn't ask Him for more, but I also knew He'd want us to ask and He knew our hearts' desires to stay together.  The AA lady came and let us know we were all on the flight home.  Miracle!  The only catch was that we were in different cabins, so I was going to have to sit alone with the two little boys.  Oh my!  Well, it was worth it and I'd do it all over again.  We were staying together!  Two flight attendants told me more than once that they have NO idea how we all made it on the flight.  Another flight attendant started crying when she talked to me about our journey.  The boys and I sat next to a super-sweet college girl.  She's an American who was born and grew up in Boston.  She is Chinese and was heading home to the States for the first time in one year.  She spent the year in China studying.  She was happy to help me, grab drinks, lift trays, allow Tian to put his feet on her lap, and smile, telling me not to worry when one or both of the boys were fussy.  She was another blessing from God.  I wish I had gotten her contact information.

God's grace was over the entire flight.  I WAS tired, sore, and shed a few tears, but after just 12 hours, we were ALL on American soil together.