When my husband and I moved our family to East Asia in Fall 2016, I spent the weeks before our move preparing in different ways. One thing I did repeatedly was search the Internet for tips and tricks for flying with little ones. At the time, our oldest was two, and our youngest was eleven months. I thought I could make our move a breeze if I planned to have just the right snacks, toys, and activities for our boys.
After reading numerous articles and blogs, one piece of advice resonated with me the most and helped me power through our trek from St. Louis to Chicago to Hong Kong and beyond. The advice was simply this, “You will get off the plane.”
I realized, however, before we unloaded our luggage onto the curb at Lambert Airport, it was not going to be easy. I would have to smile and power through some tough scenarios in a state of exhaustion. But, I would get off the plane. So, I recited those six words to myself through crowded security checks and tight layovers. And you know what? We did. We got off the plane.
As we’ve settled into a life of raising our kids overseas, I’v
e adapted and applied these words to the challenging scenes I find myself in as a Mom. You know exactly what I mean. Those moments when turbulence hits and you have to fasten your seat belt. One child is melting down from hunger, another is undoing an
entire roll of floss and putting it into the toilet, and your baby is wailing because she wants to nurse – all while you are struggling to get lunch on the table. It’s in those moments we are reminded motherhood is tough. It takes grit, determination, and a few basic plumbing skills.
But, just like I got off the plane with my children, we can get through those taxing minutes if we buckle down and do the demanding work of being a Mom. Discipline will have to happen with the delinquent tot who unrolled the floss. The baby will have to be nursed. And, your kids will once again need another meal, even if you just managed to finish the breakfast dishes. You will get through that moment, even if it is a little messy.
Of course, there are times where we will need to call in reinforcements. I remember one moment, right before we landed in Hong Kong, when everyone was sleeping. Inside, I was breaking down. I questioned why we were moving away from everything familiar. A flight attendant was passing around snacks, and when she got to our row, I was sobbing quietly. She knelt down next to my seat and asked what was wrong. I don’t really know why I decided to share my story with this woman, but I did. She listened, told me we would do well, and gave me a chocolate chip cookie. Her words, and of course the cookie, helped. She left, and I said to myself, “We will get off this plane.”
Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the best part awaits us at arrivals: Grandparents, loving friends, and family who are ready and willing to help a tired mama out.
Sarah is a St. Louis native. She is married to Adam, and they
currently live near Hong Kong in East Asia. Sarah is a stay-at-home
mom to three children four and under – Caleb (4), Elijah (almost 3),
and Rebekah (six months). When she’s not building with train tracks or
fishing things out of the toilet, she enjoys writing, reading, and
spending as much time as possible outdoors. When she gets a craving
for gooey butter cake and toasted ravioli, the 24+ hour trek to St.
Louis requires planes, trains, automobiles…and lots of prayer.
