our return trip to bring Zoe home {for you detail-loving folks}

Earlier today I posted about the trip we'll be taking to get to Zoe. This post gives the details for bringing her home. Then this evening I'll post the details of what I can share about what will happen between getting her in our arms and bring her home.

The THREE of us will go to Zoe's visa appointment at AIT (the US's embassy-like entity in Taiwan) at 1:00pm on July 10 (1:00am for you East Coast folks).

The THREE of us will - God willing - pick up Zoe's visa on the morning of July 11 (the evening of July 10 for the US East Coast). Pray that nothing delays the availability of those documents, because they are required for travel.

The THREE of us will enjoy the rest of the day of the 11th in Taipei.

The THREE of us will arrive at the airport in Taipei around 8:30 or 9pm. (Okay, Eastern folk. I think you have the hang of it by now. Just dial back 12 hours, and you have your time.)

The THREE of us will fly out of Taipei at 11:30pm on July 11.

The THREE of us will land about 12 hours later in San Francisco, at 8:30pm on July 11.

(Why, yes, we will feel like we traveled back in time by arriving three hours earlier than we left. It's called time zone magic.)

The THREE of us will do our best not to be the annoying family on the red-eye flight, leaving from San Francisco at 10:48pm (still earlier than we left Taipei) and arriving in Chicago at 5:00am on July 12.

The THREE of us will then take the last leg of our trip, leaving Chicago at 6:30am and arriving in Raleigh at 9:30am on July 12.

(Several friends and family members are meeting us at the airport at Terminal 2 baggage claim. I have too much to do between now and then to personally invite each family I would, so if you're reading this, consider yourself invited. :))

The FIVE of us will be together as a family for the first time.

It will be worth it, but we will have been traveling for 22 hours. (Maybe it'll seem like nothing after the 36 hours of travel to get to Zoe?) 

We will be tired.

But we will be a family. 

And we will return to our home here in Raleigh as a family.

Praise be to God.