We are in America, safe and sound. That’s the bottom line. And we are thankful.
But it wasn’t an uneventful trip. I had plans to document the trip with photos, but I ended up just trying to survive. I didn’t pull my camera out even once.
The flight schedule was a nightmare because our agent booked what we were told were “illegal” connections — less than the minimum required two hour layover time. We had 90 minute connections in both Seattle and Dallas. We were literally running through the airport to catch our flights. But amazingly, we caught them.
I didn’t know you can’t bring beef into the country. We declared it, and were held up in customs for inspections. They confiscated my dried beef but allowed all our other foods, candies, and tea.
I must say that the staff we encountered at the Seattle Airport were wonderfully polite and helpful. I was most impressed at their attitudes, especially considering we had “illegal connections” and beef. They treated us with respect and a sense of humor. I wish I could say the same for the Dallas folks. I don’t know if it’s because by the time we reach Dallas, we are cranky and foggy (all true) or if the people in the Dallas airport are really so mean. But everytime we go through there, I am upset by their snippy attitudes and barking commands. They make me feel like a criminal, especially when we go through the security checks. Does anyone else find the Dallas airport unfriendly?
Another big problem with the short connection times was hunger. We forgot that American airlines don’t feed you anything. And we had no time whatsoever to eat at the airports. Poor Sprite and my husband were tortured, running past Taco Bells, Chilis, and Wendy’s with a growling stomach. (Asian airlines give you lots of food. It’s not always good, but at least they offer you meals and snacks.)
Our luggage was a huge disaster. Some airports considered it oversized, some didn’t. We never knew where to pick it up and even to what city it was checked. At customs, I had to cut open the bands holding two of the trunks closed. I had visions of my unmentionables scattered over the luggage carousel as I ran frantically gathering them while people laughed. When we arrived in Memphis after over 25 hours of travel, no luggage. Nothing. All six pieces were lost. The last time we saw them was in Seattle in customs.
American Airlines was telling us it could be up to 5 days before the luggage would found. So at 1 AM Saturday morning we made an emergency run to WalMart to get pajamas, unmentionables, shampoo, etc. We had nothing but toothbrushes in our carry-on pieces.
We woke up to tornado warnings and a huge storm, so we were glad we shopped at 1AM rather than waiting for later in the morning.
As it turned out, our luggage was delivered to our home on Saturday afternoon. Nothing was missing. (And I was spared the humiliation of gathering my unmentionables on a luggage carousel.) So we are most grateful. I’ve already visited with my mom, eaten Mexican twice, and learned how to use my new Kindle. Life is good. Thanks for all your well wishes. I feel so loved by my blog readers!
Hi, I'm Jimmie, and this is my online collage -- a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but mostly homeschooling with a loosely Charlotte Mason style. You're welcome to poke around and leave a comment if you desire. 
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Jimmie, SO glad to hear you are safe and sound! And on the other side of the state I live in…this is as close as we’ll ever be, probably!
Anyway, i just had to comment b/c I had a dream about running into you here in TN! After I read your blog that you were coming to the US, I dreamed that I just randomly ran into you at the store…and you were really really tall! Taller than my husband and he is 6ft 2in. And, you needed a babysitter for Sprite, so we brought her home with us and she played beautifully with my girls! LOL! Anyway…just thought I’d share my crazy dream with you! 
What a crazy trip! Glad you and your luggage arrived safe and sound.
So glad y’all arrived safe and sound! We discovered the no-beef rule when we tried to bring biltong (beef jerky) back from Africa and it was confiscated. I’d never have known otherwise. Enjoy your time with family!
.-= Jamie´s last blog ..It works! =-.
Enjoy your visit and be safe!
Glad to hear your family arrived save and sound. Wishing you all the best and keep us posted on your reverse-culture shock (US) and renewed culture shock (China) with your sense of humor. But most of all, enjoy your home-leave!
Glad to hear you arrived. Wonder if we were in Seattle airport at the same time. We should have planned this a bit better. We are here in the northwest for 10 days. I can’t wait to hear about your fun adventures here.
I guess maybe some of us should have been more specific in our prayers…you know, beyond just a “safe” trip.
I’m glad the ordeal is over and that you got all your luggage back quickly. I promise to be more specific in praying for your return trip.
.-= Kris @ Weird, Unsocialized Homescholers´s last blog ..Weekly Wrap-Up: The One Where I Publish My First E-Book =-.
The last time we went to the states, all 10 pieces of our luggage were not there with us. That’s the reason you need time between flights, so they have time to get your luggage to your next plane. And we had a run-in with the meat police too. I wasn’t even trying to bring anything into the country. I had one of the kids half eaten airplane sandwiches in my backpack. A dog sniffed us out!
.-= Lee Giles´s last blog ..Civil War =-.
I’ve been reading your blog for a while, I love all your homeschool inspirations. We are currently living abroad in Italy, but I’m originally from Memphis! What a coincidence. Glad to hear you survived the storm, everyone back home is talking about it.
Have a great time in America – don’t forget to go to the Rendezvous and enjoy some ribs!
Sabrina
Hi Jimmie – I know what you meant about being treated liked a criminal by airport security. Back in the 80′s (before children) when I was coming home from Germany for a visit, I was told by an employee when I got off the plane in Brussels to hurry because my next plane was boarding. This was due to the current flight being late. Anyway, she said “run”. So I ran and was probably visibly nervous because I didn’t want to miss my flight. I put my carry on thru security and as I reached for it on the other side, some “gentleman” put his hand on it and said, “What’s the big hurry?” He decided he needed to look in my bag and took his time about it, even when I told him why I was in a hurry! Needless to say, I barely made the plane. Thank goodness, it was just me. Can you imagine having to rush like that with children in tow?
Anyway, have a wonderful time stateside and enjoy your time with your parents. Time with them was always the best part of my trips home.
Glad to hear everyone is safe. I can’t imagine waking up to those storms after such an ordeal just getting here. I hope you enjoy your visit.
.-= Sandy´s last blog ..Homemaking Counts =-.
All travel horror tales seem humorous and entrertaining afterwards! At the time, stress and adrenalin keeps one pumped! I hope you all rest, relax and really enjoy your trips and visits. We look forward to many more tales and adventures!
.-= Nadene´s last blog ..Gideon & Samson ~ One-Page Bible Minibooks =-.
Wow! So sorry about that. I sure hope it is a one time event, and that future trips will be delightful.
Jimmie and all, Glad you arrived safe and sound. God is gracious and teaches us much – especially patience! You sound like you needed that very much during your trip! Enjoy your time with family here.
Many blessings,
Terri S
Madison WI
I’m so glad that you made it safely. I thought about you all day Friday and kept praying for you and your family! If you come to Western North Carolina, e-mail me. My family will offer you the hospitatlity that Texas didn’t! I think we’re getting the storms you all had tonight! Have a great visit with friends and family!
We are so glad that you are all safe & sound. Enjoy your time in the states … may you have time to do all you desire, visit with all whom you love, and still relax all you need.
Oh no! That sounds terrible. Good thing you are staying awhile. It wounds like you need time to recover.
.-= frantically heidi´s last blog ..Long Live Bob =-.
Oh my, well at least you got there safely and the baggage arrived fairly quickly.
I’m so glad to hear you made it back to the States safe and sound! I’ve always thought a Kindle would be great for you living overseas. You’ll have to post about how you like it!
Have a great trip!
Samantha
.-= Samantha´s last blog ..Books and Movies from April =-.
I’m sorry it was such a difficult trip… but glad you’re safe and sound and all your luggage was found. Hope the weather cooperates now.
.-= DebD´s last blog ..The Harper’s Quine =-.
Jimmie, so so glad you made it safely, although I wish the trip truly had been uneventful.
I remember the days when American flights DID serve meals on board. And there was no fee for luggage and/or carry-ons.
I have airline horror stories of my own, one of which involved me with two toddlers, when I was 5-months pregnant. Not good.
Hoping you get some lovely weather ahead.
.-= Wendy @Sun-Kissed´s last blog ..Turn tights into knee or thigh highs =-.
Welcome home! So glad you made it safely after all was said and done – whew! Enjoy your time here in America and have another taco for me! Blessings, Marstar
awww…. I was right there with you the whole post. I’ve been there and absolutely identify with you on every plane… (pun fully intended)
however, did you have to mention the KINDLE?!?!
Now, I am full on jealous!! geesh.
I’ve got to go get alone with God in order to settle down a bit… so that I can keep on reading your blog without overwhelming feelings of covetousness.
amy in peru
.-= amy in peru´s last blog ..a mommy moment… =-.
Oh my goodness – what a trip. I feel tired just reading about it! I’m so glad you made it safely and got all your luggage returned to you. I’m taking my first trip out of the states in a couple months with my husband (to Guatemala) so I hope we don’t end up with a similar story to tell! Hope the next few days are pleasantly uneventful for you!
So glad you made it! And that you’ve had Mexican food with your mom!!!
DFW airport is horrible. I am unimpressed with the staff there on a regular basis.
Tell me what you think about the Kindle. I’m on the fence about it, but if I lived in China, I imagine it would be a huge blessing to be able to just download books in English without having to pay for shipping.
.-= Marsha´s last blog ..the dozer and disappointments =-.
so i totally understand how you feel. i’ve made the trip from china to TN before and it was eventful too. let’s just say crossing boards from mainland china into hong kong with a chinese military officer wasn’t in the plan. but no one questions you or gives you a hard time.
well i’m glad you made it safe. i hate dallas airport too. mostly cause i spend most of my time running through the airport to catch my connecting flight.
also i wanted to give you a small traveling tip i learned over the years of traveling. always pack at least on extra change of clothes and 2 days worth of underwear along with your toothbrush. it saved me counts times traveling.
I’m so pleased you are here. I was thinking of you when I saw the weather reports. Stay dry and safe and enjoy loads of salsa!!
.-= Melanie´s last blog ..Step Two: Happy Dance! =-.
Hi Jimmie! I’m so thankful that you have arrived safe and sound. I have had my share of nightmare journeys and connections over the years – so I understand how draining it is!
Never been to Dallas, so I can’t comment on it. But I would say that if it has been that way more than once it is probably the place and not you. LOL!
I got caught out on the beef thing years ago when McGee was a baby and I came in with some jars of babyfood in my luggage. I hadn’t even declared ‘beef’ because I wasn’t thinking of babyfood as a dangerous substance and forgot that two of the jars had beef in the food! I was then fully searched – all my luggage while standing there with a tired cranky 4 month old!!!!!!!
They confiscated most of my babyfood jars and made me feel like a criminal for wanting to give my baby familiar jars of food for a few days before changing yet another thing!!!!! It was at the time of the BSE crisis in England – so they were insane about any beef coming from Europe, but especially England!
Enjoy your new Kindle! Hubby surprised me with one for Christmas! It is wonderful. I carry it in my purse and always have a good book on hand to read, either to the boys or for myself. No more reading magazines in waiting rooms – now I can continue with a book I want to read! Yeah!!! I can also read alot of my ebooks for school from the sofa now instead of from the computer chair, much cozier! Yeah for the Kindle!!!!
Enjoy a taco bell for me? And have a WONDERFUL time with your family!!!! – Deedee
Yikes! Sorry to hear about all the craziness! At least it makes a funny story – right? Right? (OK, maybe not….)
You guys staying in Memphis? That’s where Ben is from. His parents live in Germantown.
SO GLAD you are safe after all of that weather craziness, too. Almost all of our immediate family live in the Nashville – Memphis area (and extended family all in-between). We’ve been keeping up with the news. STAY SAFE!
Glad to hear you made it safe and sound!! {despite all the airport fun…}
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