We started planning our trip back to the States months ago. When we set out Thursday night, we thought we knew what to expect. Flights form Kuwait to DC leave just after midnight every night. This is your only option if you want a direct flight to the US. A friend gave us a ride to the airport and we arrived with plenty of time to check in and go through security. Cai was "I'm-going-to-sit-down-and not-budge" tired, so I picked him up as we were checking our luggage and he was asleep almost instantly- meaning Mommy got to carry the sack of sleeping potatoes the rest of the way through the airport. The flight was booked full so as they were letting people into the gate to prepare to board the plane there were not enough seats and we stood patiently waiting our turn. But there was a delay. A part needed to be fixed, and they were looking around to see if there was a replacement part in the country. So we waited, and waited, and waited.
While we waited, Cai briefly woke up so I set him down and he instantly decided to lay on the floor and fall back asleep. Oh well, my arms were to tired to object. The girls (including Mommy)soon were sitting down, and in no time Jae and Se were laying on the floor asleep too. Tekla has little trouble staying awake especially if she has something to read, and her Kindle had several new books for her to explore - so she stayed awake the whole time.
After a few hours, they finally admitted they did not have the part needed and it would have to be sent from England so the flight was postponed till the next day. This meant two (very full) flights would be leaving at the same time for DC on Friday night and they asked us to come 4 hours early to get through the check in process. We arrived back home around 4 am and slept in our beds and extra... umm....morning. After sleeping in as late as we could (the kids were up by 7 a.m.) we had a very low key day and a 3 hour "naptime" for everyone. That evening we went back, but they were not quite equipped to handle the double traffic of people trying to check in so there was another delay. (This time the kids stayed awake and pleasantly waited to board the plane. They held both planes till everyone could get checked in and boarded - and when they announced that everyone was finally on board there was much cheering and rejoicing. The actual flight was thankfully uneventful.
The delay of waiting for everyone to get checked in meant that we missed our connecting flight, so we had to get a different flight. The only other flight direct to KC wasn't for 8 hours and was already full anyway. The only other route they could offer us (at least, all 6 of us on the same flight) was a flight to Houston (not leaving for 8 hours still) and then another flight to KC getting us there at 11:15 pm. We took it and the food vouchers. As we sat down to order breakfast (the kids didn't truly appreciate the one they had received on the plane) I reached into my bag to get out my Kindle Fire to check/send e-mail, and my stomach sinks as I realize I left it on the plane. So, as soon as we order, David heads down to the gate to see if someone can retrieve it for me (fingers crossed!). At this point the girls all lay their heads down and slowly blink till the eyes just don't open anymore...and they are out. Completely asleep. When the food finally comes, they cannot be stirred even a little. David came back and the one person left at the gate had searched our row but hadn't found it. The cleaning crew had already been there but nothing was turned in as of yet. They suggested going back to customer service and reporting it lost there. Remember the TWO flights delayed...we weren't the only ones who missed a connecting flight. David decided to eat before getting back in line.
About this time Tek stirred enough to pick up a piece of french toast and take a bite. A couple of ladies in a booth across the way were tickled pink at this because, though she took a bite, Tek fell asleep while chewing and wasn't even awake long enough to swallow. She was just sitting up, food still in her cheek, toast in her hand, asleep.
After we ate, the line was much shorter and David went to report the forgotten Kindle (while I went back and forth between kicking myself and reminding myself it is just a "thing" and can be replaced). I was incredibly relieved when he waked back and handed it to me. Apparently, the cleaning crew had found it and they were just in the process of reporting it. Ha! It was a blessing we missed our connecting flight as I would not have gotten it back so quickly if we had gotten on a plane right away!
After a bit we got the rest of the kids breakfast boxed up and we woke the girls enough to move to the next gate (other customers were waiting to be seated and we really had been there quite long enough taking up space). We passed the rest of the day with walks around the terminal, computer games, and a couple Netflix videos. Finally, it was time to board the flight to Houston. David got lucky and was upgraded to business class as they couldn't get him a seat near the rest of us. This created a bit of a challenge as Cai and Se both fell asleep on the flight and I was having some difficulty rousing them after we landed. I was finally able to get Se up but had to carry Cai off. We got to the next gate and I set him down. He did what any half asleep 4-year-old would do and laid right there on the floor and was out again. Se snuggled up next to me and fell back asleep with her head in my lap. This was unsurprisingly noticed and commented on by several other travelers (two of which turned out to be friends who used to go to church with us). The final flight was in a tiny plane, and we were spread out (the two youngest were by a parent but otherwise we were scattered) and Cai didn't wake once from the time I picked him up off the floor of the airport till we landed in KC. Luckily for me he woke up enough to walk off the plane as I had to wake Jae and then Tek as I made my way up the isle. We made it! Exhausted, and zombie like, but we had made it! The best thing about this whole experience? We had countless comments the whole way about how great the kids were, how well behaved they were being, and how well they were traveling. Even toward the end when we were getting cranky, edgy and fidgety, they made us proud. We were tested and stretched out of our comfort zones, but we did better than I ever would have expected. This is one mighty nugget for me to keep in mind on one of "those days" when I question my ability to parent these blessed children.
Jae spent most of the time playing soccer with some rough playing boys. She was determined to show them that she was tough and not a quitter. From what I was told she held her own well.
The big slide is always a hit. We got there early enough to get a few slides in before the crowds arrived. Then we had to slide many more times with friends.
The camel rides were a hit, but the camel standing up and sitting down was a little concerning (both for the rider and the parent watching) but no one fell off.
More sliding and fun, this time with a new hat.
And SUGAR!
As evening approached, it cooled off a little and the pictures didn't turn out as well. By the time we left, everyone was tired and ready for bed. It had been a good 4th.
