Traveling Home

**This is one of those posts that might not mean much to many of you who read our blog, but I'm determined to record memories of our time and lives in Saudi to have for years to come in our Family Blog Book.   

Thursday morning, June 28 at 1:30am our car came and picked us up at our house to take us to the airport.  Brooks and I had all the luggage packed and ready down stairs, we showered and had everyone dressed before going to bed (kids at 8pm, Brooks and I around 11pm), and we made sure to have enough alarms set to ensure we wouldn't miss our pick up time.  We got all the car seats loaded in the car and managed to fit half of our suitcases inside the back of the car and then had to call for another car to come pick the rest of our bags up and transport to the airport.  We had to make a stop at a local gas station for car #2 to fill up with gas since they weren't planning on making the hour and half drive to the airport so we stayed with that car since they had our luggage (and I think it was a new driver and they didn't really know how to get to the airport.)  

Miles and Brooklyn slept on the way to the airport.  Gavin watched for camels outside (not real sure what he was going to see in the middle of the night, but it entertained him).  I think Brooks slept off and on and I tried to sleep.  I really, really tried to sleep. I tried everything to get myself to sleep but couldn't.  UGH.  We arrived at the airport got 2 trolley guys to carry our luggage on carts, strapped Brooklyn into her carrier onto me and let Gavin pull the small carryons while Brooks carried Miles through the airport (our double stroller was in its travel bag since the Doha airport doesn't allow strollers so you have to automatically check your strollers in).  Anyways, since Brooks was traveling with us we were able to check in through Business Class, which always gives us more attention and a faster check in.  While Brooks was getting us checked in and ensuring our seats together on the planes, I took the kids to Krispy Kreme only to find out they didn't have any donuts.  ONLY in Saudi Arabia would a Krispy Kreme not have donuts.  UGH.  So, we got checked in, made it through the customs check point (to leave the country) in under 30 minutes-- we think that was record timing.  I took Gavin and Brooklyn with me to the womens area to be searched while Brooks braved security with Miles who was unleashed and loose.  He did great and we were finished with that in about 10 minutes.  

We spent a little over an hour in the First Class Lounge and let the kids run around, ate some snacks, regrouped some of our carryon luggage, changed diapers, went to the bathroom, then went to board the plane.  Our first flight was a very short flight.  We had 3 seats together and one somewhere else on the plane.  Brooks took Brooklyn and they sat about 8 rows behind us while I kept Gavin and Miles with me.  We decided when we bought our plane tickets that it would be in EVERYONE's (me, Brooks, Miles, other passengers on the plane, flight crew,etc) best interest for Miles to travel in a car seat in his own seat and that had to be THE.BEST.DECISION. EVER!!  I feel like this was Miles first flight to really know what was going on so he acted interested and intrigued throughout the flight to Doha.  Gavin was pleasant and entertained himself with the new toy we bought him for the plane ride (it's become a tradition that I either surprise the kids with a brand new toy or let them pick out a brand new toy for plane ride-- which he did on Tuesday but wasn't allowed to have it until we got on the plane.  He was beyond excited and ready to have his Ben 10 Tiger.  Again, this first flight was short and we were off in no time.  

We made it into Doha and took the long bus ride from the plane to the terminal with 3 tired little kids.  Everyone did great though.  Brooks and I decided to let the kids play at the playground and just help keep everyones spirits up.  The boys played for well over an hour and then we went to the Business Lounge and got some food, used a clean bathroom, and got things re-situated for our next flight.   As we boarded our flight from Doha to Houston I started to panick.  All I kept thinking was what is this flight going to be like?  We've never traveled with 3 kids before.  What if Miles screams the whole time?  What if Gavin won't sleep?  What if Brooklyn spits up so much and all over us that we're going to smell the entire flight?  What if they didn't get the boys childs meals we requested and ordered?  What if I didn't bring the right toys that will entertain them?  What if Benadryl causes the boys to stay awake instead of go to sleep like it normally does?  What if? What if? What if?  

I was exhausted just thinking of all the possibilities of what could happen.  Eventually as we began boarding and finding our seats my mind and body moved into survival mode and I prepared myself to embrace whatever was about to take place.   We never let our kids sleep from the time we leave our house until we get on this flight, just to ensure they'll be nice and tired and willing to sleep and it works every time.  Within an hour of taking off all 3 kids were asleep (it COULD have had something to do with the benadryl we gave them).... HEY, DON'T JUDGE until you have to fly with 3 kids under the age of 3 on a direct flight across the world! =)  Either way, it worked and the kid got a great nap and were happy and rested throughout the majority of the flight.  Brooks watched several movies and I decided to sleep since I had no idea what my sleeping capabilities would be throughout the flight.  I did manage to sneak in the movie This Means War while all the kids were napping (cute girl movie).  Thankfully, the kids meals we ordered for the boys were actually delivered so they had decent food they liked and ate (normally I make them sandwiches) which made the flight even more manageable.  Miles did awesome flying in his car seat and was the best thing ever for him!  We pulled out his tv and he poked at it forever thinking it was an IPAD.    He played with Gavin and even got to run around a little to give him some time not strapped in.  Gavin watched some new movies he had never seen- Hercules, Bolt, Lady and the Tramp and entertained himself with his new toy!  At some point I started getting a headache and thought I'd take 4 tylenol hoping it'd be the equivalent of an Excedrin Migraine. All I wanted to do was make sure my headache didn't turn into a migraine and cause me to get sick.  Well...... apparently, it wasn't a good idea and I ended up being physically sick for about 3 hours of the flight.  It was rough and I learned my lesson.  Thankfully and for Brooks sake, all 3 kids were sleeping during that whole ordeal so he didn't have all the kids by himself.  Brooklyn did AMAZING and stayed on her normal schedule.  I think she cried once the entire flight.  She would eat, play, then sleep and that was it!!  

16 hours later.  All is well!  We arrived in Houston, made it through customs fairly quickly, got all our luggage, which was waiting off the conveyer belt already, and off we went.  When we walked through the doors we found a big surprise.  My brother, Bryan, his wife Anna and their daughter Audrey were there to greet us!  What a fun surprise and sweet welcome home!  

After eating dinner at Pappasito's we made it to a local airport hotel, got bathed, repacked, and reorganized some things for our next trip to Colorado the next morning.