Home and a Forever Family for 2 Weeks - Part 1

Dinner at The Vine in Hanoi

More motor scooter madness

In the alley behind the Embassy

Gateway at the Temple of Literature

Family of 5

3 hot and tired children who are about to board a flight for 30 plus hours of travel.

Hanoi Opera House

The newest American citizen. God Bless America!

Customs - it is official!

First hot dog!

Captain Hung

Leaving Vietnam was a whirlwind. We were at the Embassy Friday at 9:30 and had the visa within about an hour and a half. We walked around the neighborhood behind the Embassy and then spent some time in the American library on the Embassy's first floor. It is air conditioned and has a lot of kids' books. A good place to wait if you need to. Jim contacted Korean Air, changed all our flights departing at midnight Friday and then it was off to the Temple of Literature for some last minute sightseeing and souvenir purchases. It was beautiful but hot, crowded and by the time we got back to the hotel, we were all very ready to come home. Hanoi is constant hustle, bustle, noise, traffic. It is amazing and stressful at the same time.

The flights were fairly uneventful. The kids slept off and on and we took advantage of the transit hotel at the Seoul airport for our 4 hour layover. That short nap helped tremendously. The kids all did amazing on the flights. Hung became a US citizen the minute he got off the plane in Atlanta. About 2 minutes later, he ran ahead of us and got on the escalator and promptly lost his balance and rolled down. 1000 more grey hairs on Mom's head. He was fine but shaken. Then we got in line behind 250 other people at customs. Atlanta Customs does not have it together like LA. for adopting parents. You stand in line with everyone else. Because of the fall, Jim held Hung. Lily wasn't in the mood to share Daddy. So, in the midst of the very long and very slow moving line, Lily had a total breakdown screaming, " You need to take him back!! I do not need a new brother!! He is not part of this family." This scene goes on and on to our horror and other's humor for about 45 minutes. We get through customs and then are told we have to go to a special room for an interview. What?! Have we not gone through enough?

So, we go to another room where we hear trainee agents tell another couple ahead of us that their baby is not a citizen until he gets his Certificate of Citizenship. I'm thinking I am Alice in Wonderland. Our 4 hour layover is quickly being reduced to half an hour before boarding time. Then it is finally our turn and the trainee who opens our packet has never seen a packet from VN before. He keeps saying "Where is the medical report?" His boss says, "they are working with a great agency, I am sure it is in there." The trainee responds, "Well, it's their problem if it isn't." The supervisor says, " No, its your problem." Trainee responds "Hey, I only work 8-5." The thought, "How much jail time would I get for striking a federal officer?" runs through my mind. His co-trainee pipes up, "Nope, you are scheduled to work to 7:30 today!" and they all have a big chuckle. The supervisor finds the medical report, we get processed and he tells the keystone cops that Hung is a citizen because both parents are present. Apparently the couple before us was not married.

We had about 20 minutes before we board to Tampa and we grabbed a quick lunch. Hung wanted what Marshall was having - a hot dog! His first! He didn't like it but put on quite the show taking a big bite. Lily fell asleep and didn't want to get up when we landed in Tampa. She cried so hard she threw up. Luckily we were at the very back of the pane. The captain invited Hung to sit in his seat and then placed his hat on Hung's head - a very special moment.

Good friends Jana and the Spotts family greeted us at the airport. Hung didn't seem to mind at all that Marshall and Lily went in a separate car. He squealed with delight when we pulled up in front of the house and immediately ran in looking for his new room. At last - home!