Home Sweet Home

It's a rainy, gloomy day in Rockville, Maryland but it is a bright and sunny day in the Knotts household. 

Now armed with the magic envelope that makes Alejandro a US Citizen upon arrival into the country, we just had a couple of days until we could go home and make it official.  Wednesday was a hot and humid day in Guayaquil.  We went to te Malecon, The Warf, and walked along the water.  We found a fun playground and tried to cool off with ice cream.  After a while, even the kids were too hot to play, so we headed back to the hotel pool.  The day before it seemed to be too cold to use, but today, it was just right.  We had a blast splashing around, and ordered lunch by the poolside.  Two sleepy kids later, we headed back to the room for evening downtime.  One more day to go. 

Thursday, I decided to just have a quiet day.  No running around, no taxis, no stress.  I packed us up and we were ready to go.  Good thing too because all week long I thought we had a 5:30pm flight through Panama.  Come to find out, thankfully, I had a 3:30 flight that LANDED in Panama at 5:30.  I discovered this at 1:30pm when I went down to the hotel Business Center to try to check-in online and print out our boarding passes.  I had been planning to get to the airport extra early so we could have lunch before the flight.  We grabbed a taxi to the airport to find a minimum of 200 in line before us at 2pm.  There was no earthly way we were going to make our flight through that long line.  The skycab man took us to the front of the Executive line and advised me to look hopeless (not hard at this point) beg for mercy and claim my kids were too hungry to wait on the long line (again, not too hard, and even true).

Thirty minutes to get to the front of the line.  We were third in line!  Thirty minutes for them to figure out how to check us in since we were leaving the country with an Ecuadorian minor.  Thirty minutes left to go pay our exit tax, get lunch to go and make it through security.  No problem.  At least I knew that they still had to check in all the other people and the plane couldn't leave until then.

We make it to the gate. I went straight to the front of the line with two kids in tow.  The airline worker tells me, "You were called back down for an extra security check of your luggage".  What???  "Couldn't you bother someone else who isn't traveling with two children and three carry-ons?"  I know.  The mouth.  It runs away with me sometimes.  The woman was astonished at my response.  Off we were to security.  Down stairs!  Picture, Annie with a back pack and a bag lunch, baby in a stroller, I'm carrying a heavy backpack of electronics and a second bag with important papers and kid blankets for the plane ride.  The lady takes off down the stairs.  A little help here please! 

Done with that, back through security screening and this time up in the elevator.  A novel concept.  We made our flight.  Surprisingly.  I knw the plane wouldn't leave without us.  This has happenned to me before in Spain.  The kids traveled beautifully.  Annie is always a pro loaded with crayons, books and videos.  Alejandro gets a little nervous on take-offs, but does well otherwise.    No time for real food in the Panama airport either.  I'm not sure I would have found any.  Not much there except Duty-Free shops.  Boarded an hour early and we were closer to being home.

We were last off the plane and last in the Immigration line.  Poor Annie was falling apart by now.  They had both fallen asleep on the plane. One hour later, after little guy had been processed we were out the other side of the security gate and oh so happy to see Daddy waiting patiently for us.  It was 1am.  It was cold and rainy outside, but we didn't care.  We were home!  Safe and sound.  My prayers answered.

Alejandro had his homecoming at 1:30am on March 13th, 2010.  I had talked to him about the big house we all lived in.  His forever house.  I described to him his own room, adorably put together by Daddy, Grandma (Lela), Grandpa (Lelo) and Tio Tony.  He seemed excited to get there.  His first ride in a car seat.  He didn't know what to make of the straps.  No one uses car seats in Ecuador.  They are far too expensive.  The ride home felt like a luxury ride in my plush minivan, after riding in the back of old taxis and great big busses. I thought Alejandro would fall asleep on the ride, but he was taking it all in.  His great big brown, almond shaped eyes wide open.  Annie sat next to him and kept him company, which is why I'm sure he didn't cry at being in the back, in the dark, without being held as he was used to.

We showed him the main level of the house and all around his room. He showed himself all around Annie's room and the living room toy area, both of which he probably recognized from the video we had sent him.  I asked him if he liked his new house and he gave an enthusiastic "Si".  Wait until he sees it in the daylight.  He's still asleep as of this posting.

Jim had our home ready and waiting for us.  Warm and welcoming, as always.  Small touches that were comforting in my eyes, like fresh flowers, fresh linens, a glass of my favorite wine, and a book called, "That's My Son:  How Moms Can Influence Boys to Become Men of Character".

Home Sweet Home.

I love our home, our house, our family, and the independence of being able to take care of things myself again, rather than have to constantly depend on strangers.  I love my family, my friends, and the friends that I call family for keeping me going through what was probably one of the most challenging times in our lives.  I love them for their emails and quick wit that brought me smiles.  I love my husband for being the incredible father he is.  I love my daughter for being such an amazing big sister to a child she hardly knows, and who although is always loveable, isn't always likeable.  I'm proud of the person she is growing up to be.  I pray the same for my son.  I love our country, although wrought with it's own problems, I wouldn't want to be from anywhere else in the world.  I love our church for keeping us in their warm embrace.  And foremost, I love our God for hearing my prayers, for loving me so much that he has given me a family to love and care for, and who do the same for me.  I love Him for hearing my soulful, tearful prayers for children.  I love Him for allowing us to start our lives now as a family of four.  I love Him.

Warm Hearts, Smooches and Snuggles,
Love,
Lisandra