Please Help

Hello, I have been reading your post's and thought maybe someone could give me some advice! Ill make it as short as can be! My husband has 2 children from prev. relationship. We filed an appeal for custody to change back to us. after having them for 3 years. We live 2500 miles away. ever sence she has been served with our brief for our appeal, she says that we can not see the children period. She stoped us from seing the children for spring break and now says we can see the children for summer. We are planning on flying out anyways in the summer to pick them up like scheduled. we have filed contemp charges have not been herd yet!
Our laywer says to come pick them up she says that she wont be around! we are planning 4 days for this but we cant afford a man hunt for the kids! What do we do? no agency will talk to us police etc... they say that cant do anything until the kids are missing for 24hr. And my other question up for comments is she says she has an laywer. But her deadline to file in the appeal came and went she did not file anything no time extention etc... so what happens??? Your comments are helpful!