Our Journey Home

The short of the story is that we made it!
The long of the story is that it our journey home was less than ideal.
After snapping pictures around the hotel on Wednesday morning, taking an early nap, packing up, and eating a late lunch, we made our way to the hotel lobby to meet our travel buddies and guide for our first leg of the trip - a train ride to Hong Kong.  Let me preface all of this with the fact that we suspected Maryn wasn't feeling 100% from day one.  Though she really was mellow and happy most of the time, we had checked her temp several times during our early days with her and it hovered at 99+ but never crossed the 100 degree mark so we didn't treat her or the fever for anything, we just attributed it to change, etc.  Her tummy was not settled - lots of great diapers to clean up and baths that followed.  We noticed too that her eyes were always goopy when she awoke and we noticed her pulling/scratching at her ears frequently.  All that, but we didn't want to give her meds because for the most part she was fine and we really wanted to get her home and to the doctor!  Our concern did heighten on Tuesday morning following our Consulate appointment when we had an unforgettable dining experience at breakfast - it involved a messy baby, two clueless-as-how-to-deal-with-the-scenario-we-were-faced-with parents, and a cloth napkin!  It was a scene and, unfortunately, it was a scene that played out again later that evening while having dinner with friends.  Our Tuesday night fell upon us and we all settled in for our last sleep in China.  Maryn did not sleep well at all.  She tossed and turned and turned and tossed all night.  Definitely not herself.  So Wednesday came, we fed Maryn the most bland of diets and  we were careful not to give her milk or anything of the sort in hopes of a better feeling tummy - after all, we were not going to be in the most convenient places for cleaning a soiled baby.  We made our way to the train, and though she was a bit more on the fussy side, we chalked it up to circumstances - travel, strange people, strange everything.  We made it to Hong Kong, got through the fever check - phew! - and piled in our taxi.  Taxi rides in HK or China are not the smoothest rides one will ever go on and that became evident when we made our first big whiplashing turn and Maryn cried out a cry of warning before throwing up EVERYWHERE in the cab.  Maddox immediately pinched her nose closed for the remainder of the ride and MK became sad for her baby sister knowing how bad she must have felt.
We were on alert the remainder of the ride but thankfully little Maryn fell asleep and we made it to the hotel without another mishap.  After a good bath and covering her side of the bed in "just in case" towels, we all settled in for a good night's rest before our big day of travel on Thursday.  Four hours later, I awoke and felt Maryn.  She was burning up.  Ryan took her temp and it had soared well over the 101 mark.  Panic set in.  We started antibiotics and gave her Tylenol - she slept peacefully the rest of the night!
Morning came and we were all thrilled to be boarding our plane home!  We made our way to the airport, checked in, got breakfast, and boarded the plane.  The plane ride was a bit bumpy but Maryn did well for the most part though we did notice her digging in her ears during our landing approach.
Chicago greeted us well - beautiful blue sky and much cooler than Guangzhou!  After going through customs and getting our bags and rechecking our bags, we made our way to the gate of what was supposed to be our final leg of the journey.  I noticed right off that the plane was late.  And then in a matter of seconds, our flight to Columbia was cancelled just.like.that.  It was at this point that I was ready to cry out of frustration....however, Maryn kicked in and decided that she would scream like nobody's business for all of us!  In all of my five children, I have never, ever experienced the sort of screaming that this child has in her - when she is mad, she is mad and there is nothing that will divert her.  I gave up even trying to comfort her and just smiled at others as I kindly said, "We have had poor luck with our flight and we are trying desperately to get home - she is really just expressing to everyone how we all feel about this turn of events."
United was less than helpful - the lady who was to help us reschedule our flight simply said as she stared into her computer, "Well, looks like I can get you home on Sunday."  What???!!!  I may or may not have been less than sweet and her response was, "It's a holiday weekend.  I am sorry."  With Maryn still screaming, we searched for other airline options - ok, US Air to Charlotte then on to Columbia.  Great....United lady books it.  We go to check in at US Air and USAir says we have to go to American because it is actually an American flight??  Ok.  Go to American desk.  With Maryn STILL screaming, the kind American lady says that we aren't on the flight - the transfer did not go through and the flights are full.
I walked away sulking.  Maryn continued to scream.  Maddox fell asleep.  MK just kept asking, "Does this mean we have to go through security AGAIN???"  As I sang "Lord, I Need You" in my head over and over, Ryan walked over and whispered, "Ok, we're set.  The lady was able to get us on the flights to Charlotte and Columbia."  Through security we went, we quickly grabbed dinner, gave Maryn some Tylenol, and we were homeward bound.  We were so very thankful to see our boys and hug their necks!  We missed them terribly and could not wait to introduce Maryn to them.  And then our family and friends who stuck it out and waited in Columbia until we FINALLY arrived at 10:30 - we felt so loved!  And Maryn handled herself well with the greetings.  She is so scared and very aware of the changes that have taken place in her life during the last 12 days!
So, that was our journey home.  So glad that one is behind us and the future is before us!