Saying Goodbye & Saying Hello

What a busy last two weeks we have had! We were able to get all packed up and had everything weighed at 50 pounds each. We decided we wanted to take 1 extra bag with us to make a total of 9 bags plus carry ons going to the airport with us. Thank you to Doug and Arlene Driskell who offered their suburban to haul all of our bags up there. We get there and went to weigh our bags at check in to find all of them were 5-9 pounds too heavy. I guess our scale didn't match theirs. So Aaron decided to find a close Walmart and went to buy another suitcase. While he was gone, my dad and I started weighing all of them again and removing items to add to the extra suitcase coming. We got it down to a pile on the scale weighing in at 47 pounds hoping the suitcase didn't weigh more than 3 pounds. We ended up leaving the girls hooded towels, two pairs of jeans, a pair of jogging pants and a devotional book.

After we got all of that taken care of we were needing some lunch for us and the girls. Really more for the girls than us for a peaceful flight. About a quarter mile down the airport there was a Burger King. There were no other kid-friendly places to order from closer to our gate. The problem was they were moving so slow and there was a really long line. If it hadn't been for the kids I would've left but they needed to eat. So I waited. I finally made it back to the gate about 30 minutes out from the flight time. So we decided to eat on the plane. We said our goodbyes and went through security. It was at that point we found out we were selected for additional screening. So they had to take every thing out of our carry ons to test for any chemicals. Because they had to do this, it caused us to miss our first flight by 5 seconds. We stood there and watched the stairs pull away from the airplane. I was really disappointed and scared because I really didn't know what this meant for us. So they told us to go back to the ticket counter to see what other flights we could get on to get to Atlanta.

We found out there was a flight available with 2 coach seats at 3:30pm (our first flight was at 12:50pm)and 2 first class seats for about 900 more dollars. We passed on that option. We decided to go ahead and book the coach seats for Mylee and I on the 3:30 thinking it was going to be easier to find 2 seats instead of 4. After about 20 minutes of looking at other flights and trying to see what was going to work they told us all to go to the gate at 3:30 and they were going to try to get us all on that flight. We had to go through additional security again but this time we did it an hour and a half before flight time. It was time for Mylee and I to board so we go on not knowing if Aaron and Evie were going to be on the flight with us or not. Talk about walking in faith. Mylee and I sat on the plane and prayed that Daddy and Evie would be able to get on with us. The next thing I knew Evie showed up in our seats and there was Aaron with her. It was a most joyous moment. Come to find out the ticket lady had told Aaron that she broke some rules and pulled some strings for us and was going to trust God to take care and hers and her co-worker's jobs. We are eternally grateful for what those ladies did for us that day!

The next day went so much better for us. We got to the Atlanta Airport after a good nights sleep at the Hilton Airport, booked and paid for by a local church. We did the curbside international flight check in and went so smoothly. Then we found our way to security and found the line to be atleast a mile long if stretched out. No kidding. We stood and just stared and knew there was no possible way of making our flight once again. Until a security gaurd said we needed to get in the children's line, which was past all the people standing in the mile long line and to the front! We couldn't believe it. Needless to say that Evie could have gotten anything she wanted that day. It still took us about 30 minutes to get through because being selected AGAIN for additional screening but nothing near what we would have been waiting in the other line. We were Praising God for this.

We got a meal on the plane and the girls slept the last hour and a half even during the landing which seems to always be the worst for Evie. We were also able to watch National Treasure II and were able to spread out over 6 seats because our whole row was vaccant! It was so great. We got off and was told to go to another children's line at immigration so we didn't have to wait again because of Evie in the stroller. Got through that and customs oh so smoothly. I guess God knew we had already been through alot the previous day and wanted to give us a break. We found Scott and Sherry and made it to our house safely.

We have already had a little culture shock hit us with how crazy the traffic is and how pedestrian's have no rights here. If you get in the way they will hit you. But the side walks are too uneven for the stroller so the street is a lot faster. We will just pray and trust God to keep us safe. We love our house and will post some pics just as soon as we get settled and things are put away. We thank you for your prayers and are ready to begin language school on Wednesday. Below is a link to some pictures of our last few days in the states and the first couple of days in Costa Rica. In a couple weeks I will have some more airport pictures up. But this is what we have for now! Enjoy.

April 2008-3