You should have booked the ticket as multiple destination. AMS-IAH, IAH-LAX. CO47 connecting to CO47. It should price out as $5 more, but you earn all your miles.

You lost less than 1,000 miles. Those booking IAH-PEK on CO89/88 or SAT/IAH-GUM on CO7/6 could lose a whole lot more miles. Same deal with those flying CLE-PVG on CO87/86 when it starts in 2009.

Just consider lesson learned.