5 years 11 months 26 days

Day 2186. It was about 11:30 pm when I went to bed on our last night in the USA. The kids joined us during the night as usual. At 5:15 am my alarm went off, and we all got up and got dressed. Randy had already put all our luggage into the car and put the remaining items in. The kids had been really disappointed on Monday that they didn't get to see their half-sister and nieces. So their sister and older niece got up to say good-bye to us which made them very happy. However, their niece continued sleeping and never woke up for a real good-bye.

At 6 am we drove off to start our 2+ hour journey to the Memphis airport. The kids were on their tablets and never slept. I was extremely tired but didn't get to sleep either. After two hours we stopped at a gas station near the airport to refuel and go to the restrooms. Then we drove the rest of the way to the airport, to the rental car return. We drove to the front of the lane, and Randy started unloading while I left to get two carts. Somebody from the rental company checked the car. I came back with the carts and got the kids out, then moved the luggage to the carts. Once all the bags were on them, we started walking the long walk to the check-in counters in the terminal.

We had moving walkways to conquer, then an elevator, then more walking before we got to the United Airlines check-in counters at the end of the terminal. There was only one lady checking in people, so we had to wait for a while. And that lady was just as unfriendly and unreasonable as they had been two years ago. We had weighed all the bags at the house, but their scale showed about a pound more for each bag, and even 50.5 was not acceptable to her. It could not be over 50 pounds. Ridiculous. We had to take stuff out of 3 of the 5 suitcases to please her, and I put those books in my carry-on. In the end, there's just as much weight on that plane, wherever those books are.

The line had increased quite a bit while it was our turn. She did't want to give us the wheelchair assistance either that we had requested. I tried to argue with her, then we walked away so the next person could check in. There was a guy right there who was assisting with wheelchairs, and he came towards us right away to help. He wheeled Sammy, while Randy and I had the carry-ons.

We walked to security where we used the special lane. The guy checked our passports and boarding passes, and for the first time ever they took a picture of each one of us there. Strange. Then it was on to the machines. I was shocked when I didn't have to get my computer out nor take my shoes off. We had to get nothing out and take nothing off. Wow! It's been a long time since it's been like that. Sammy, however, had to let go of his Mickey as it had to go through the machine, and he started crying hard because of it, even though I tried to tell him he'd get it right back after the machine. We went through the metal detector, then they wanted to check Sammy more thoroughly as has been the case every time we've gone through security. They wiped all the surfaces of his wheelchair to check for substances, then we could go. However, my carry-on suitcase had been pulled aside. I walked over to the lady who opened it and pulled my scissors out. I was shocked that I had forgotten to put my scissors into my checked suitcase! I didn't know what to say. But I was even more shocked when she simply put the scissors back into the bag and handed the bag to me. What?!? Can we have scissors on a plane now? What else can we have? I'm not sure I feel safer.

It was time to walk to our gate where the young man left us. It was 9:30, and we still had 90 minutes before the plane was to leave. It was time to get something to eat. We had passed a Chick-Fil-A so we walked back to it. Unfortunately they had a reduced menu but we were able to buy something for all of us. Then we walked back to the gate where we ate our food. Just after 10:30 they started boarding, and we were the first ones on the plane, sitting in the back of the plane. It was a small plane with two  seats on either side of the aisle, so we had four seats on the left and one seat on the right. I sat in that single seat and had the seat next to me empty. Tammy wanted to sit with me, but Emmy didn't want to sit by himself, so they stayed together. All the kids were on their tablets during the 2-hour flight. Tammy was still whining about sitting next to me, and then about looking out the window, so I let her come to the empty seat next to me to look out the window. Her rabbit got to look out and sit with her as well. Then Sammy wanted to sit with me, so he took Tammy's seat next to me while Tammy left to sit with Daddy. 

At 1 pm we landed in Chicago. We got off the plane and got Sammy's wheelchair but no person to assist us. We had arrived at a domestic terminal and had to go to the international terminal, and we had three hours so plenty of time but not too much time like last time. We started walking in the direction of the train that connects all the terminals. There was an information booth right there so I decided to ask whether I had the right information on what terminal we needed. The lady then told me that we'd have to go through security again if we took the train and told us to go to a specific gate instead where we could take a shuttle bus to take us there, without having to go through security a second time. Thank God I had asked! We walked and walked to get to that gate at the other end of the terminal. There an unfriendly lady checked our passports and boarding passes and gave us green papers that figured as tickets for the shuttle. She then told us to go to the side and wait for the shuttle. 

Tammy had picked up some kid's magazine for the three of them that they were looking at while waiting, and we waited for quite some time. Then the shuttle bus finally arrived, we gave them our tickets and got on. Then the bus drove us to the international terminal. You could see the bigger planes, and planes with all kind of different international airlines. And we could see the only Austrian Airlines plane that we figured was ours. At the terminal we got off, took the elevator up, then started walking to our gate where we got some seats. 

I was getting hungry and left them to go find some decent food. And I found a Mediterranean place where I got rice with steak, salad and tsatsiki. It was really good, and Tammy was eating it with me. The boys then also wanted some, so Tammy and I went together to get another bowl that everyone then ate.

I had heard an announcement that everyone had to come to the counter so we all went there. They checked our passports and gave us a new tag for Sammy's wheelchair. Then we had to find new seats to sit in which was harder as there were a lot of people around. When the boarding time of 3:30 pm was getting closer, we got up and went to the pre-boarding sign. From there you could see our plane out the window really well.

Then the time to board had come. A nicer lady looked at our documents, then let us pass, then we walked down the jetway to the plane. Tammy, Emmy and I were the first ones to get on board. Randy had to get Sammy out of his wheelchair and carry him from there. When we got on the plane, we told the flight attendants how happy we were to be able to speak German again.

Once again we were sitting in the back of the plane. This plane had a seat layout of 3-4-3 seats. Tammy, Emmy and I had the three seats by the window, while Randy and Sammy sat in the middle across the aisle, one row in front of us. Once again we were the first ones on the plane, but the kids were very happy about the built-in screens and headsets and immediately started exploring what they could watch. It took a while for all the people to get on board, and every seat on the plane was taken. Then we took off. Soon we were given snacks and drinks, then dinner was served. It was pretty good; the choice was between pasta and chicken, and they had a typical Austrian dessert.

After a while I told the kids that it was bedtime (8 pm) in Mississippi and 3 am in Austria, and that it was a good idea to sleep to help us get over jetlag more quickly. At first they didn't want to but then I switched from the aisle to the middle seat and had a kid on either side of me, leaning against me. I was surprised how fast they fell asleep but then, it had been a really early morning. I glanced over and saw that Randy was putting Sammy to sleep as well.

We all slept about two hours. Then Emmy was up again, using his tablet as well as watching something on the screen. Sammy woke up crying and wanted me, so I made a switch, putting Tammy with Daddy and taking Sammy. Both Sammy and Tammy slept about another hour that way. I didn't get any more sleep as I was making sure Sammy was comfortable. I picked out a second movie to watch.

When Sammy woke up, he was doing well, but Tammy had a screaming fit. She gets those when she's tired, and there is nothing you can do to calm her down. We switched again, Sammy sitting with Daddy, and Tammy sitting in the middle again. I couldn't get her to go back to sleep so she also ended up watching something for the rest of the flight. But she also continued crying, saying that she was having growing pains. And that crying didn't stop until we were in the car on the way home. 90 minutes before arriving, we were all given a hot egg-sandwich.

At 8:15 am local time, which was 1:15 am in Mississippi, we landed in Vienna. We got Sammy's wheelchair at the door to the plane, and they asked us if we needed assistance, and we said no. Then we started walking to the exit, and it was a very long walk. We made a bathroom stop, and we had to go through passport control. Finally we reached the baggage claims and tried to find some coins for two carts. I had one, and somebody was able to exchanges our smaller coins for the coin we needed for a second cart. I was surprised that the luggage hadn't started coming out yet, but it started moments later. And even more surprisingly, all our 6 suitcases came out right in the beginning. Six because Tammy was able to check her carry-on for free. We loaded them all onto our two carts and made our way out of the doors where we saw our friend who was picking us up right away.

It was good to see him again. We then followed him to the church van where the longer process of clicking in our car seats that he had kept for us and loading our luggage began. Once the carts were empty, I returned them. Tammy was still screaming and wouldn't quit. After we drove off, she continued some more then stopped. Both Randy and I were closing our eyes as we could hardly stay awake any more.

After less than half an hour our friend pulled up by our house at 9:50 am. I got the key out and went to the apartment with the kids, while Randy was unloading the car and bringing everything into the apartment. The kids were very happy to be home. They got their clothes off and put something lighter on in light of the heat and started playing with what they hadn't had for so long. As for me, I started unpacking suitcases, opening packages and mail. I was very tired, but we were also getting hungry. Randy left to go pick up a package and go to the grocery store, while I opened some cans of goulash and made pasta to go with that. The food was just ready when Randy returned. We then all enjoyed eating this true Austrian dish. 

After lunch, the tiredness was really getting to me. While Randy was unpacking suitcases, I couldn't help but fall asleep, even with the kids coming to me and repeating my words back to me that it was best to stay awake until bedtime tonight. But I couldn't help it. A 5-hour night followed by a 2-hour night... I just had to sleep, and I did for a while. At one point Emmy joined me and also fell asleep right next to me. After a while I woke him up so that he wouldn't sleep too long. Sammy also fell asleep later in the afternoon and slept for a while, then I woke him up. Randy continued unpacking until leaving to pick up some bread at 5:30 pm, and when he came back, he was done. He sat down in a chair and fell asleep. For me, I started getting active again and continued unpacking, as well as making dinner for the kids. They were so happy to eat Austrian bread and Austrian salami and cheese again!

At 7:30 pm it was bathtub time - another highlight. They had lots of fun playing in the water. Then we got them ready for bed. I read them a story and prayed for them, then they went to bed. They were saying they were not tired, but I was surprised how fast they actually fell asleep.

I had a nasty headache caused by the tiredness and took something, then made myelf the soup I eat often and that I had missed. It really helped. Then I turned my computer on for the first time to catch up on news, then to download the pictures and work on them. Not it's 2:10 am, and I still have to load the dishwasher before going to bed. Randy has been sleeping for a while, and Emmy is already in our bed with us.