Its looking up

You know how some days, things just don’t go right… and the smallest things just really collapse your little world…

I really am trying to be positive. Seriously, we do not have it all that bad.  We need to look at the positives right?  We are all healthy, together, living in a stable, warm shelter.  We have clothing, and food.

Lets back up to our trip to China.

Jan 10th, 2019.  It was a cold, brisk day.  No snow in the forecast, it will be a straight ride to ORD (Chicago O’hare) for our flight to Beijing. I had previously communicated and received permission to get a company minibus to transport me and my family and ALL of our luggage to the airport.  Most of you (I really don’t know who is reading this… I hope one day, more then just the 2 of you out there) probably already saw the pictures on Instagram and FB.  Allow me to recap.  Words can’t really convey the chaos and mess those few days and hours really transpired.

Our party included: My dad, mom, husband, son (Matthew age 8) and me. Each of us are allowed 2 checked in luggage and 2 carry on.  WE maximized on that so we are talking 10 large suitcases, and 5 pull on small suite case, 4 backpacks and my mom’s purse.  We are a scene to behold.  We check in at O’hare without too much issue, it was just time consuming… but we were done.   The fun did not begin until we arrived in Beijing!  We had 3 hours before our domestic flight to HeFei (our final destination).  Dad was going to check in on his place in Beijing, and join us a couple of weeks later in HeFei.

The process is as follows: get luggage, clear customs, recheck luggage and clear security.  Usually, this is about an hour to 1.5 hr process depending on the lines.  We should be more than fine.  Dad’s luggage comes our first. Then nothing.  5, 10 minutes passed and  I’m slightly concerned.  15 mins passed, we go get someone, and he and I go to the lost luggage center.  My heart is heavy.  Luckily, they scan our luggage tags, and all are indicating to be in Beijing.  So we go back, and slowly, one bye one, we get all but one last suitcase.  Its one of my moms.  She is a super worrywart… so to have it be her suitcase, might as well have been a missing person.  I was surprisingly calm (I lost this calm completely 2 wks later on our move in day to the apartment – insert teaser here… come back and read about that one!) and told dad to go home, and for Matthew, George and my mom to recheck everything else, and start queuing in the security line.  I would stay behind to wait for the last piece (we found out upon visiting the lost luggage center a second time, that it some how got mixed with domestic arrival luggage and would take an hour to sort out) Its ok.  We still had time.

I was lucky, they found me no more than 15 minutes later, to tell me the piece has been found and will be coming out on the carousal any moment now.  This was going great! Happily, I rechecked the luggage and waited in line for the security check.  I sent both my mom and George a message to deliver the good news.

Strange, no reply.  I can’t see anything beyond the security frosted windows.  Finally, after about 10mins, I queued enough to see through the gaps of people and see my mom and Matthew.  No George.  Oh chee… what could possibly be happening.  Where did he go?  As I inch slowly (ever notice, when you are so desperately needing to get somewhere, its inching… and while you are avoiding to get somewhere, you travel at the speed of lighting. ) to the passport control I see George frantically pacing back and forth, he caught my eye, and puts up his fingers, yelling 3 or 4?  What is he doing?  He yells did we have 3 or 4 carry on luggage. (hmmm… 5 when we started in Ohare, Dad took one… that should get us to 4 right?) He throws up his hands, and yells, well, we only have 3 ! and runs away.  What. The. Heck. (I am trying to keep this blog clean… no promises)

I finally get through the line, and immediately ask my mom what is going on.  (Background: On Nov 2, mom while walking in our neighborhood tripped and fill. She suffered a broken right shoulder in 3 places.  With diligent physical therapy, she was finally able to make small movements, but can not lift anything) She told me they went through the security line with 4 but due to the chaos and too many items, one was left behind, and forgotten.  By the time George noticed and confirmed with me we actually did have 4, the security team has already isolated the luggage and escorted it to the investigation station on floor 1.  This meant George got out of the secured area, chased them down to the first floor from the 3rd floor – that is, if he was able to catch them. While most of those bags had books, snacks, small items of clothing for the what if we lose our luggage… the one that was left behind was the one holding all of our ipads, my few pieces of “worthy”jewelry and all of our medication. Of course.. had to be that one, that was lost.

It was also during this time, we realized my mom’s phone does not work in China (see previous blog on mom’s cellphone). George and I frantically text back and forth, and finally he got to the station, right as they were opening the bag and checking into Matthew’s virtual reality Oculus.  When George claimed the bag and upon them seeing the jewelry, they all broke out in laughter and pointed at George and spoke some Chinese.  Guess we will never know what they were saying.   So, that was some crazy 3 hours, I sent mom and Matthew to the gate, since they walked slower.  By the time George cleared security again we ran to the gate in time to board the last bus to our plane.  Finally… we have arrived.