We're Here!

Other than an interesting landing --the kind where the plane is almost ready to touch down and it suddenly pulls up to a steep incline then makes a sharp-banked turn--the flight was uneventful. Oh, well and Dean kind of left me in security with four bags, two kids and one wheelchair, but we're all good. ;-) (he didn't know than when a security agent is rushing him along he can say, "You'll have to wait, I'm helping my wife and kids get all their clothing of, electronics out of bags, and everything sent through the scanner!" Next time sweetie.

Our flight landed at 2:00, and we waited to be last off the plane since they would be brining Axel's wheelchair from the planes belly anyway. So we finally get to the jetway and wait...and wait...and wait some more for the chair. Finally we decided that Dean and Angela would head to baggage claim and Axel and I would catch up to them.

So Axel and I waited.....and waited...and waited some more. There was another guy on the plane who was waiting for his electric wheelchair which wasn't showing up either. Finally the flight crew was making phone calls, and a guy brought us an airport wheelchair. "No. Where is OUR wheelchair? Can't miss it, since it's covered with American flags."

Hmmmm

After a good 20 minutes they realized that both our and the other guy's chair had been sent to baggage claim by mistake, so we waited for them to bring them back to us then made the loooooooooong walk to find Dean and Angela. Can I just say, I am *so* glad we bought this chair for Axel? It is a life-saver during long walks through airports, and will be completely necessary after his surgery.

My friend Colleen picked us up and brought us to Ronald McDonald House. (Front & Erie street for anyone who's wondering.) By the time we got settled and everything it was 5:00 so we decided to head to the room for a little rest. (don't say "nap" to Angela!) Angela and I both slept, Axel rested playing with my hand, and Dean watched TV.

At 6:00 we went down to dinner, then got a surprise for the kids. There is a great game room here pool table, ping pong, air hockey, fooseball...you name it. Angela loves airhockey and we knew Axel would here so we showed them the table. The played for about an hour and thoroughly enjoyed it!

While they were playing Dean and I chatted with a young couple who just had their first baby two months ago via in-vitro fertilization.  He was born with a tracheal-esophageal fistula along with amniotic banding syndrome, and just had a gtube put in not too long ago. They'll be bringing their baby home for the first time next week, and are quite nervous about the whole gtube thing. I remember that feeling SO WELL! I was able to give them a few ideas about how to deal with the tube to keep it safe (he still has the foley in and won't git a mic-key for a  month or more.) and just give them some general assurance that the tube really will be no big deal once they're used to it, and that when they get home they can finally get on with learning all about living with a new baby...their firstborn...and loving on him without the interference of hospital staff!

We finally brought the kids back to the room about 9:00, had baths and got the two of them...and myself...tucked into bed. ;-)

Today is a big day.