Hibbets' Happenings

We made it! I figure I can just use this blog to post about our trip, even though this info won't really be health-related. But since this blog is already created, I thought that might be easiest. This was what I wrote last night (Sunday morning about 2am our time, which was Saturday noon Monroe time): We're here, safe and sane. Everything went as smoothly as it could. Now we're in the apartment, we're unpacked; the kids are both asleep and hopefully us grownups can be soon, too. It's 1:30 am here (11:30am where you are). The drive to Dallas went great. David drove, Jayden slept; Joshua did fuss often, but he did okay (I think he just wasn't as comfortable as he wanted to be), Dad and I (and David) visited. I was even able to get some good work done as we rode. We got to the airport about 3:30am and slept/rested until about 4:45. Once we did get inside and went to check in, we found out our bags were overweight! We knew they were heavy, so we weren't completely surprised, but we weren't necessarily expecting it, either. So then Dad went to get the extra bag we had brought out of the van and we repacked right there in the airport. We got two suitcases down to 69 pounds (the maximum allowed is 70) and the other at 45 pounds (50 is the limit unless you pay an extra fee). So we ended up checking a total of 4 bags, and had to pay the extra charge for two. By the time we went through security -- even though the line wasn't long, it takes a while to get a group like us through security (it takes a while to get our group through with anything), we ended up getting to the gate to board the plane at I think right at 7:00am -- the flight was scheduled to leave at 7:15. So we weren't late, and we weren't panicking or anything, everything was fine -- but we couldn't have cut it much closer or it may have been a problem! The flight to Newark went great. The kids both did fine. They both slept a good bit. They served us breakfast: milk and Cheerios and a banana. I even got hot tea! It was good. (We ate the Cheerios and the bananas, but didn't use the milk.) When we arrived at Newark they told us that our next flight was leaving from a different terminal. Most people just take the shuttle, but to take the shuttle you have to go down and then back up stairs. So instead they told us we could take the train -- which was fine except it meant having to go through security AGAIN! Oh well, by the second time through we were faster. On top of that, we found out that our flight had been moved back an hour, so rather than a 3 1/2 hour layover we had 4 1/2 hours. So we had plenty of time to go through security again (on our way home, though, we only have a 1 1/2 hour layover in Newark, and we're expecting the same issue with the two different terminals, so time may be more of a problem for us. Pray that the Lord works out those details for us!). In Newark, we had a chance to get some lunch, exchange some money, buy Jayden some "USA" socks, and rest. Then when it was time to board, they let us board first, which was very nice. It helped a lot. The flight to Hong Kong was long, of course, but good. For supper they served us a choice of salmon or steak along with some other things. We got to try both. We slept through the "mid-flight refreshment" but had the breakfast-type meal at the end of the flight: eggs with turkey sausage or dim sum (we got to try both of those, too). We did all get to sleep some on the long flight, which helped. They brought the bassinet for Jayden which worked out really well. I think she was able to sleep pretty well. Joshua slept in his chair, and he seemed to be resting good. He slept a lot. David and I slept some, too. We did all have individual TVs to choose movies, or music, or video games, whatever you wanted. David and Joshua watched "Barnyard" but other than that we didn't watch much TV. David said he played a few games of chess on the TV while I was sleeping. We played a game of Hangman together earlier in the flight. I didn't get any work done on the flight. We had our hands full. The kids were great, but they kept us busy. Jayden's diet on the plane was basically rolls and bananas. And a few cookies! We think she liked that she could feed herself the rolls. She didn't take what we were trying to give her on the spoon as well. (Maybe it was her way of complaining about airline food -- but I didn't think it was THAT bad!) When we arrived in Hong Kong, a man (airport employee?) walked with us, pushing Joshua, all the way from the gate, through customs, baggage claim and out to the van we had reserved. We were very impressed! I have to brag on Continental, too -- of all the Continental employees we've had the opportunity to deal with throughout this ordeal (reserving the flights, then actually traveling), every one has been top-notch. They have all been helpful, nice, -- you name it. One thing that was especially neat was that we didn't have to wait in line at Customs because the guy took us (with Joshua) right up to this side area where there was no one else. (The "regular" line looked so long! I was wondering how long we were going to be in line and how in the world Jayden was going to tolerate it.) But the Lord blessed tremendously! They just took our passports and our entry cards, checked that we really were who we said we were, and let us through. That was all there was to it. So even though the flight arrived exactly an hour later than originally scheduled (after leaving an hour later), we were still headed out to meet the van at 9:30pm, our original reservation time! The flight landed at 9:00 and we were heading out of the airport at 9:30. Unbelievable! The lady from Easy Access Travel, which is who I had reserved the van to take us from the airport to the school, was there with a card with my name. I didn't know she was going to do that, so I'm halfway surprised I even saw her with my name. Then she and the airport guy walked us all the way out to the van, helped us get loaded up, and waved goodbye. It was very nice! On the way to the school (which we arrived right at 10:30, so it took an hour to get loaded up at the airport and actually get away and then get to the school), we all nodded off a little bit except Joshua. (And the driver!) But I tried to look around to see as much as I could. It's also hard with it being dark. I saw a lot of little red taxis at the airport. I saw a lot of tall skyscrapers, all lit up. I also saw some that had BIG Christmas messages in lights on the sides of the buildings. Two places I saw had buildings all lit up like at Las Vegas -- there were so many lights it almost didn't look like it was dark. I don't know what those places were that were so lit up. I saw a McDonald's (in the airport), I saw a 7-eleven and a Shell station on the way here. I saw several billboards which looked no different than what you would expect to see anywhere in the States. They drive on the "other" side of the road, which was interesting. Our driver was very safe so it didn't seem like they drive crazy at all. I had heard stories that they do. I guess we'll see as we go! We didn't get a chance to get our Octopus cards (for the subway system and buses, etc.) reloaded in the airport, because with the help (and we're so thankful for that) we were moving in a very fast pace within the airport. So we just kept moving and didn't take the time to point out anything, or take pictures, or get the cards loaded. We just kept moving!Alright, I'm sure there's more I could say, but I'm going to finish this up for now. We'll let you know how our Sunday goes!Thank you (and tell everyone else thank you) for praying for us today as we traveled. I know the Lord blessed and kept the kids very content (I know it was His doing) which helped us keep our sanity. It all went very smoothly. Now, if you will, please pray that we will get adjusted to the new time quickly and easily, and pray that I'll get all the work done that I need for my first class Monday night. Talk to you again soon. Love, Aleecia