Arrived in LA

We made it out of Guangzhou to Bejing smoothly. Plenty of time to make transfers and another security check in Bejing. We lost 2 toys in Guangzhou. A plastic gun of Chuan's and his bag got searched for a small ball that had liquid in it. A terrorist would have to be pretty desperate to infiltrate an 8 yo boys toy in a pink Hello Kitty bag but whatever! Then in Bejing we found another one of those liquid balls that Guangzhou security missed!
The flight to LA was quicker than the one to China as I think we caught a tail wind or something. We flew over Seoul and Japan which we saw none of as it was pitch black and -70 degrees or more Celsius most the trip.
Liam and chuan slept off and on tossing and turning. Liam slept mostly on me so I was tossing and turning trying not to drop him and sleeping in some awkward positions. Just ehn he would get to sleep good and arm or leg or butt cheek would go numb from a weird position then we'd have to move again. Toward the end of the flight he laid down on the floor and I just let him sleep there a little while Chuan got to stretch out in the seat.
We arrived in LA early and were just in time for shift change at immigration which translated into 3 hours wait while everyone came and went and they did nothing with the boys paperwork. Several agents picked it us, thumbed through it and put it back down. Needless to say the boys were very restless. There was no food or drink, couldn't bring any bags in the room and absolutely nothing for them to do except try to touch things like the emergency exit door and alarm pad and run down the office corridor. After 2 1/2 hours with no explanation or even acknowledgement we were there I did get some parenting advise from a female agent who had obviously slept the night before. As Liam ran into their office for about the 30th time I asked her if they could just shut the door so he wouldn't be so tempted and she told me to just sit down and "try to be a good mother to my kids". O really??? I wanted to ask her for her advise on traveling half way around the world for 3 weeks and spending the last 24 hours on airplanes and in airports, but I was really just too angry.
Not long after that another agent came and got the boys papers, spoke no words to me and 30 minutes later came and gave me their passports with their stamp. He tried to explain "what happens next" and when I explained what I knew about it he gave me a paper handout and it was obvious to me I knew more about this process than he did. But at least we had cleared!!!
We have settled in the Courtyard Marriott which is near the airport and you could fit 2 Chinese hotel rooms in here. We also don't have a hot pot so I'm not sure how to get our drinking and toothbrushing water (lol)!!
It's good to be close to home but I am already missing China.
Chuan is being sweeter and playing more with Liam now I guess since he has no one else to play with. Hopefully we get on our plane and home tomorrow!!

Amanda
www.wherethereisgreatloveandmiracles.blogspot.com
www.doublehappinessboys.blogspot.com