Wednesday, We're Home!!!

After sitting on the plane for about sixteen hours, we landed in Washington, DC. That was actually a nightmare from mine and Sarah's perspective. We had to go through customs, immigration, pick up our bags and placed them on a cart, secondary inspection because of the girls. Then something was wrong with Anna Mihret's paperwork and we had to stay put for a few minutes. I was holding both girls while Sarah watched the luggage. My arms hurt, hurt and hurt some more. That was finally cleared up and they allowed us to proceed to the next area.



We were able to leave three of our pieces of luggage at the baggage area. Only two made it home. The other was delivered the next day. Of course that was the one I had put the girls paperwork in. Why? I don't know!! I blame it on the fact that I was half delirious most of the way home.



After we dropped off our bags we went and changed the girls and freshened them up a bit. Then we had to hike to probably the furthest check-in counter to get our boarding passes. After our boarding passes were in hand we then walked over to have our bags scanned. We each had a carry-on and a bag. One carry-on had all of our electronics that we weren't able to use, worthless things, and the other was a rolling diaper bag for the girls. We then attached two bags to each carry-on with diapers, bottles and such that we could keep at our feet. When we got to the scan we had two suitcases and three of those plastic bins to put things in. Sarah stood on the other side with both girls after going through while I retrieved our items. Unfortunately I didn't realize that the laptop and DVD player had to come out of their cases. I pled with the worker that we were two women with two babies who had just flown all night and then some and we were very tired and overwhelmed, and asked him if somebody couldn't just take them out for us. He looked at our pitiful selves and took my bag and did it himself.



After that was all cleared up we had to put all the bottles back, put our shoes on, and put everything back in order. We headed over to the shuttle to get to the boarding gate. After we collapesed into a seat at the boarding gate, Sarah went to Wendy's or something and got some fries and a cold drink. We were so exhausted. We waited for a few hours for the plane. It was time to board and get on our last leg home! Another five and half hours and we were done!!!!



Adah would not go to sleep on the plane. I couldn't figure it out because she was exhausted. Finally I took her sleeper off and she went to sleep immediately. I really didn't care what other people thought. I could now go to sleep and she was sleeping. Sarah, the lucky duck, had the only empty seat on the plane next to her so she was able to spread out a little with the older one. Adah wouldn't go to her at all so she was stuck with the heavier baby.



We finally landed in San Diego. Our family and friends were waiting for us! We took the girls into the restroom and put their dresses on before they met everyone. After we got off the elevator we looked and there they were! Dad, Jesse, Joe, James, John, Joel, and Rachel, her mom Brenda and Rachel's girls Evey, Josie and Carrie. The girls had brought black baby dolls for their baby friends and to welcome them to the USA. Rachel and the girls also made up a Welcome Home sign for us. Thank you!



Anna Mihret took to her daddy right away, but as of today, Adah Derartu is still warming up to him. Yesterday at the dr. she put her hand out to touch his shirt, but when he turned around she just looked away. She's not used to men.



Here's a few pictures from our Welcome Home day.

Jesse, Steve, Sarah, Anna Mihret, Joe, Mom, Adah Derartu, James in back. John and Joel in front.

Steve and Anna

Mom with Adah, Dad with Anna

Joel, Miranda, Anna and James goofing around on my bed.

On our way home we stopped at our favorite Italian restaurant and had dinner. Then Jared and his wife Miranda came over. We headed to Target to get some items while Miranda and Sarah watched the girls. All is well and we're thankful to to be home.