Yes, We're Still Alive and Kicking !!

Our flight from Beijing just may go down as the longest on record. As many of you know, the air quality in Beijing is quite poor, even in the winter. When combined with a lack of sleep, and an increased stress level, many people succomb to flu bugs and colds. After a week of my snuffling and snorfing, Maya finally caught my head cold. We were both quite congested the evening of the 14th and neither of us got much sleep. I must admit to some uncharitable thoughts here - Paul slept, well...like a baby.

We left Beijing 2 hours later than our anticipated 2:40pm departure time, and settled in for our 14 hour journey. The actual ride home was pleasant enough, when you consider that there were 30+ babies on the flight. Lots of tears, mostly from the parents, but we all made it home, eventually.

For those of you who have yet to make this trip, please, please consider purchasing an extra seat for your baby. If the flight is empty, there is no need. If the flight is full, you'ld sell your soul for the extra leg room. We took a chance and bought the seat. The only problem was that Maya likes to lay completely flat when she's sleeping. If her little legs encounter any resistance to their mid-night 'exploration' of her surroundings, she wakes-up and cries. With the help of some Gravol, and some heavy-duty prayers, she slept about 4 hours on our flight home. Paul, my dear husband attempted to sleep while having the stuffing kicked out of his right leg by a 2-year old who was asleep beside him. I spent a good portion of the 'night' perched on my armrest so that Maya could lie flat on both of our seats. Did I say it was a 'lonnnnggg flight' ???

We arrived in Toronto at about 5:30 pm, and I have never been so happy to have my feet on terra firma. My poor father's feet were less impressed. My parents live in Nova Scotia, and they were scheduled to arrive in Toronto at about 11 am on the 15th. A three or four hour wait 'wasn't much', they reasoned, so they planned on staying in the airport until our flight arrived in the afternoon. After customs, immigration, and the baggage carousel, we finally made our appearance through the arrival gates at 7:30 that evening. Paul's mom Genny, dear cousin Rosemary, and my father were there to meet our weary family.

It was then that I discovered that my mom had been unable to travel to Toronto with my dad because she had a kidney infection and was in considerable discomfort. What I didn't know was that she had been taken to the emergency room twice since my father had left her that morning. Dad had arrived in Toronto at about 11:30 am, had spent the day in the airport( on two very sore feet) awaiting our arrival, and then (after a sleep-less night) was back on another plane at 7:00 am on Friday for an unscheduled return flight to Halifax. Yet another flight that doesn't end....!!

Four days later, my mom is gradually recovering but it has been a very difficult time for her. Hopefully the antibiotics fulfill their obligation and provide her with some relief very soon. Thank-you mom for your valiant effort, and yes, you will see Miss Maya in person very soon !! Dad, thank-you for being a good dad, and thank-you for making your own journey to meet your first grandchild, for the first time. I love you both, and I've never been prouder to call you my mom and dad.

Thank-you Genny for your long wait at the airport, and for the look of delight on your face when you first saw Maya. Thank-you Beryl for coming to greet us at the airport, and we're so sorry we were late. Finally, thank-you Rosemary for all your help. We really wouldn't have made it to Park'n'fly, in one piece, without your help.

At last we're home. Home Sweet Home...