Lost.....(part 2)

Two days left before we fly back to Taipei home from US.
My first flight with the three kids.....alone.
My fears were getting the best of me...
"What if we're not seated together?" (even though I had preselected)
"What if one of the kids is too annoying on the 13 hour flight?"
"What if I lose a bag?"
"What if I lose Matthea again?"
I was beginning to think I was crazy to even think this was possible.

But, the morning of the flight I was calm. It was definitely from the Lord, because it wasn't me.

With tears in our eyes we said our good-byes and went through security.
Slower, but no problems. In fact, they were quite pleasant and helpful!
Handed in our boarding passes and folded up the stroller.
Still Ok.
Airport personnel helped me get the kids on the plane.
"This is going to be smooth...what was I worrying about?" I thought to myself.

Landed at the first of two layovers. Kids carry their backpacks and we walk up the only aisle of the plane. Slower, but ok.
Just as we are about to exit the plane I hear, "Please don't kill the messenger of bad news."
Yep, here comes the problem of the trip.
"Ma'am, your stroller was left in Kansas City. But, it is on its way to Taipei via San Fransisco."
"Seriously," I ask, "I have a daughter who has special needs and can't walk well enough to get to all our gates." Plus, I'm thinking...my carry-on, my other two and their stuff....head starts spinning.
But, then I hear, "No problem, we have a wheelchair for you all."
Sigh of relief.

This "loss" turned out to be a huge blessing because with the wheelchair came a person to push. So, I had a free hand to hold Megan's through both of our layovers, through security checks, and through immigration. And, yes, even out to my awesome husband who somehow was able to get past part of security so he could be just that much closer to be my Knight!

The stroller was not at the airport when we arrived, but it was delivered to our apartment two days later with no damage.

But, two weeks later I lose more than the the first two....and learn that I should never go anywhere without the cellphone.

Lost.....(part 1)

Lost......child.
A parent's nightmare.

Hand dropped for split second.

A glance in the purse.

Then gone, she's disappeared.
Yes, truly a parent's nightmare.
My nightmare come true for a whole 3 minutes (which, by the way, feels like eternity).

This is the story of Matthea's disappearance at the Taipei airport.
We got there early, checked in, and still had time for breakfast at Burger King. We went through security, immigration, and got to the gate with no problems.....we had the stroller.

Time came to board. Kids got their bags, we got ours, I pushed Matthea; still no problem.
Ran the boarding passes through, got Matthea out of her stroller, folded it up and laid it by the others...problem began.
First, they scanned the wrong boarding ticket for Uwe.
Second, they noticed that he was not a US citizen and wanted the "Pre-approved" document. (Thankfully, he printed that out just before leaving the apartment)
Third, I dropped Matthea's hand and pulled out the documents.
Forth, she was gone.
No where to be seen.
Not behind us.
Not waddling down the long hallway towards the airplane.
Vanished.
Of course I ran down to the plane and saw people boarding, but she wasn't there. In my head I thought, "There is NO Way she could have gotten around them that fast. Plus the flight attendants would not have let a child board alone, especially a special needs child."
I ran back to the wide-eyed family and airport personnel looking at me expectantly.
I shook my head back and forth.
My head began to spin, heart began to race, stomach began to form knots. My non-verbal, mentally slower child was gone....how was she going to yell for help if she needed it?
Nightmare Reality!
My ever so calm husband asked if I looked on the plane.
I shook my head, turned and raced back down the hallway.
I stepped on the plane. My doubtful, yet hopeful, gaze racing down the only aisle searching.
Adults standing.
Adults lifting carry-on baggage.
No child.
Eyes dance back and forth at each row.
Adults in large cushion seats reading magazines.
Adults sipping on juice.
A flash of a child's red hair in the last row of cushion seats.
Sigh, I found her.
Sitting by the window with her backpack beside her, she smiled up at me; pointed out the window and signed "airplane".
Sigh, smile, relief.

We walked back up the long hallway and retrieved the rest of the family and together, all five of us, walked back on the plane to our seats.
Economy seats.

As the plane backed out from the gate, Uwe looked at me and said, "At least she has class sitting in business, huh?"
I smiled and shook my head in disbelief at what had just happened.


I have written part 1 because in the past two months I have experienced "lost" in my life. So, stay tuned for part 2 and what was lost on the return trip...