The Adventure Begins

Hello all!  Well, we have made it safely to Lusaka, Zambia.  

We started off our trip around 9am on Tuesday (I feel like saying yesterday, but realize we've been on this journey a couple of days now though my days and nights are completely out of wack--is that a real word?--Bec-you can let me know later :) ) loaded in the dually and our van. Samantha was a ball of excitement perched up in her carseat  in the back of the dually with her daddy and her Grandpops while Kaitlyn was in the back of the van doing word finds with her Grannymom and Olivia visited in her seat with Gram.  Dad and I rounded out the crew up front.  

We were quite the site as we unloaded at the curb in Atlanta.  We're a family of five and looked like the bags of an entire mission team from Wesley. We would not have made it without ALL the grandparents to help.  We had 3 carts filled with trunks, car seats, and "carry ons",  the double jogger filled with kids and a single stroller just to have once we're there and to get us on the plane.  

Once we were all checked in, we had lunch with the family and then said our good-bys at the security check.  Thank the lord for the special assistance route for people with strollers.  I've never seen so much stuff go through the x-ray machines before.  We definately would have stalled out all the other lines with all the shoes, carry ons, stroller, car seat, computers (yes, that's plural), camera and blankies.

When we checked in at our gate, we were blessed with a very kind woman who informed Brad "don't worry, we've all traveled with kids before" and then proceeded to move our seats next to a couple empty ones which she then blocked out for us which gave us 7 seats to use instead of 5.  We had a block of 4 by the windows (2 in front and 2 behind) plus 3 in the middle row.  We put Olivia and her car seat by a window and I sat next to her. Kaitlyn claimed the isle seat across from me with Daddy on her other side so she could sit by both of us (planes make her nervous during take-off) and Samantha was happy as a clam by the window in front of Olivia, sitting by herself.  She "wanted to see".

The girls were fantastic and did not complain (I can't believe it--that in itself is an absolute miracle--thanks for all the prayers guys)  at all on that 20 hour flight. They played with things in their carry ons, watched lots of movies on the flight TVs (turns out they've greatly improved the children's selection since my last flight --including the American girl movie--I think they each watched it twice) and then slept well at "night" (which is only dark part of the time as you're flying around the world).  Samantha was able to stretch out completely on her two seats and got a full night's sleep.  We landed in Dakar, Senegal at 1 am and I propped her up and buckled her for the landing without her waking.  Kaitlyn slept stretched across 2 seats and her feet in her Daddy's lap but she only got 5 or 6 hours.  Olivia (praise God!) slept all but 4-5 hours.  She got down to crawl the isle twice but other than that was content to play on the seats or in our arms. Both Olivia and Samantha slept through the "frisking" of the plane in Dakar and I was very thankful to the officials there for not making me get them out of their seats so that they could check under them.  

Things didn't get sticky until we arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa.  We had WAY too much to carry on --but  it could not be helped.  Thankfully we ran into very nice people on the plane and off that were willing to help us.  We had to walk what seemed like a mile to get to our next gate with a stop through security again.  The girls were completely adorable pulling their pink camo rolling backpacks through the airport.  Samantha was a ball of excitement and was prancing ahead of us like she'd done this a thousand times-including the "cool" moving sidewalks along the way.  Kaitlyn had had enough at this point and started the 4 hour gradual break down when she found out we had to get on another plane for 2 hours.  "If it's only 2 hours," she reasoned, "why can't we just drive?"

When you check in at Jo-burg, you then load a bus that carries you out to your plane.  This plane was, of course, smaller and we were more compact.  This time we had 4 seats with a special seat belt that hooked to mine and then went around Olivia in my lap. This would typically not be a problem but they serve "dinner" on this flight and by the time, we were done, I looked like I'd been out in the snow (Olivia had fun with a dinner roll) and I had a lap full of water Olivia decided to turn over.  At this point I'm just chanting "one more hour" in my head- and out loud to Kaitlyn.

When we arrived, Samantha continued to be a ball of energy and I was constantly calling her name to be still as we're trying to get through immigration Kailtyn I'm having to tell it is not appropriate to lie down on the floor in front of the immigration desk.  Olivia is ever present in my arms, dying to get on the floor with Samantha, but being VERY good.  

Thankfully, Brad let the Hotel know HOW MUCH STUFF we had and they brought a bus for us (it was a bit embarrasssing--I wanted to tell everyone we were not visiting for just a couple of weeks, but were moving)  We finally arrived at the Intercontinental Lusaka Hotel, got checked in, had dinner and got to bed.  It is now 10:45 am here and the rest of the crew is still asleep.  I can't decide whether or not to wake them up--they need the sleep, but we also need to get on our new schedule.--Well, I hear Olivia waking now.  

We love you all and thank you for your ever present  thoughts and prayers.  Please keep them coming as we try to get into our house.  Our most pressing needs now are to be in our home, have a car at our disposal and figure out a way to eat with out eating out every meal over the next few days.  Take care, and I will be in touch.

Love, 

The Zookeeper