The last things ...

This week has been FULL of last things.  We leave in the morning for 9 days in Southern China and will return to Shanghai for less than a day before we leave for good.  So, we've been trying to soak everything in as much as possible.  Here are a few images of our last things in Shanghai:

Last bike ride (yay for a sunny day Wednesday -- sold our bikes on Thursday)

Last time finding a cute, Shanghai cafe on accident

Last interesting street foods -- I think this is lotus root/flower?

And, also bananas being sold along the road - I love that he has an electronic scale on his cart (most the fruit vendors do!)

Last recycling carts.

Last laundry and teeth brushing on the sidewalks

Last bird-men carrying their birds to the park to visit with other birds.

Last soccer day with teachers & students.

Last morning with our students.

Last amazing foot massage at Dragonfly and last time at our school.

And last of the last things ... I don't know that I'll  ever see a man wearing loafers , slacks and a collared shirt with a blow torch putting on the roof on next door!

Oops, I lied ... one more. The last time we may see our street at night. It looks kind of pretty this way.

My new home?

Last church service in China

It has officially begun ... all of the "last" things.  Seeing people and places for the last time.  My eyes fill with tears as it sinks in: we are really leaving Shanghai. 

Yesterday, we attended our last church service.  When people ask me what I will miss about Shanghai, this is one of the biggest things that comes to mind.  We've been SO SO blessed by our church!  It has been truly incredible to worship each week with people from over 60 countries!  We think it has been a small glimpse of heaven -- when we will one day worship with believers from all over the world. 

This week was a baptism Sunday and of the 15 baptisms, 11 countries were represented.  And man, what an awesome feeling of celebration was in the air!  It was a beautiful and a perfect way to end. 

In addition to an amazing service, we got to see Eri from our Bible study group one last time and we got to meet her brand new husband! They just got married on Wednesday!  Congratulations sweet Eri!

Tea-time at the Peace Hotel

Don't you love it when you move half-way around the world to find out that someone who lived 5 minutes from where you grew up has also moved half-way around the world?

Shortly after moving here in 2009 I found out from my Mom, that Cindi and her husband Dale were living/working in Shanghai off and on for his work.  Their house in the US is about 5 miles from where I grew up.  We've enjoyed their company on several occassions and on Friday I got to introduce Cindi to her first ever experience with indulging in high tea!

I've been wanting to get inside the Peace Hotel ever since they re-opened last year and this was a perfect opportunity.  As always, I am fascinated by the history that surrounds many of the buildings in Shanghai.  This place is beautiful ... and the tea is amazing!  (Way more food than even I could eat!)

Jason is thinking of applying here ...

Or maybe ... I should be the one applying!

We were on a walk around our neighborhood last week when Jason let out a chuckle -- he couldn't believe there was a whole company dedicated to this! 

Naptime in Shanghai

This photo quality is downright awful.
But I took it while riding my bike through a busy intersection. 
This was the second group of people we come across in a 5 minute period - all snoozing in the middle of the day along the road.  I count at least 5 (maybe 6?) sets of feet :)

Turtle anyone?

A few weeks ago while riding our bikes, we noticed a man in a hardhat with a large, live turtle/tortoise hanging from a stick.  We could hardly believe it!  Especially since it looked very similar to the Galapagos ones we've seen at the Shanghai zoo.  I couldn't help but wonder if somebody had stolen it from the zoo and was trying to re-sell it.  I didn't think it was a site I would ever see again and then last week, right outside our school, this man is dangling an ordinary looking turtle from a stick. 

(This isn't a great quality photo since I took it from across the street, but you get the idea)

Four down .... sixty-one to go!

Four years ago today, I had the unimaginable joy of being able to marry a man who's qualities far exceeded everything I had ever dreamed of.  After being married for four years, I still catch myself wondering how I came to be so fortunate.  I like that and I hope I never lose the feeling of awe.

With our job, going out in the evening isn't an option so instead we celebrated by going on a lunch date to a place that we both love.  Although we got off to a rough start (my self-esteem issues pick the worst moments to knock me down), we had an terrific date and ate some amazing Thai curry!  Yum!

Before leaving Shanghai ...

... we took my parents on a quick trip to the zoo -- with Spring finally seeming to arrive, the trees were beautifully arrayed in blossoms and new leaves.  Afterwards, while my mom & I shopped, the boys went for a bike ride on Shanghai's crazy streets -- and survived! We ended their time here by going up the Shanghai World Financial Center to the highest observation deck in the world ... whew!   And then I was on-duty as a tour guide, taking them to Xi'an and Beijing while Jason continued to work at the dorm.