I'm sitting here in the Buffalo/Niagara International Airport twiddling my thumbs. My flight to BWI has been delayed for reasons unknown to me or other Southwest employees. I'm ususally a patient person, except when it comes to traveling. Once I'm in the terminal I want to get on the plane and go go go!

The visit home was really good, but it was just too short. I think summer's going to fly by a lot fast that I'd like it to.

I smell hot pretzels, I think I have to go get me one...

I'm a 16 on the top and a 18 on the bottom, for that reason I decided to wear a two piece dress for the wedding. I bought a really cool pattern for the top on eBay that could be made in the in the sizes 14.16.18.20, thinking it'd be big enough.

Well it's not. Sewing patterns are completely different from clothes you buy in the store, silly me for not knowing this. Mom has had to spend the past week making adjustments to the pattern so it'll work and it's been a really frustrating time for her. So if you could send her some good sewing vibes I'd greatly appreciate it!

Edit: We've had to scrap the original top we were going to go with, a Chinese inpired top with a Mandarin collar, and now have a completely new pattern for the top. It's still going to be AWESOME but completely different from the original look I was going for.

Now for something fun:

A close up the pebbles from one of the centerpieces I'm making for the wedding.

The couple weeks leading upto my Summer departure from China were ungodly hot. I'm talking upper 90s low 100s, with no relief in sight. Needless to say I was looking forward to coming home and having temperatures in the 70s.

Silly me forgot that my body has acclimated to warmer temperatures.

My sister and I were sitting outside a few nights ago and I think the temperature was in the upper 60s and, ready, wait for it... I WAS COLD. I think my Buffalonian card is going to be taken away. I'm almost looking forward to the temperatures in D.C.

I should just hand my card over now...

I got into Buffalo Sunday afternoon and have been on the go pretty much all week.

I've had doctors appointments (I'm fine, I just don't trust the Chinese medical system for routine things), a meeting with the coordinator at the place we're having the wedding to go over details for the day of the wedding. The guy we're working with is absolutely AMAZING.

Mom's been working on the dress so there've been fittings and the like.

The invites went out in yesterday's mail. I'm waiting to hear back from Niels on what he thinks of the menu before sending it off.

I have to keep reminding myself that I'm getting married in less than two months! Because even though this week was heavy on the wedding planning it still hasn't sunk in. Maybe it will when people start RSVPing...

Here's a glimpse of the invite, can't show you the whole thing...

 

...is a bitch.

Niels and I are still on China time. I really hope we'll adjust back soon. Cuz being up until almost 5am, is really not so fun.

Niels and I have returned to the States! We arrived late Thursday evening and are still recovering from the time change. I keep thinking it's Saturday, when it in fact is Friday. I'm hoping that the transition won't last long, because I really don't like being ahead a day.

It's really weird to be back; it doesn't feel like I've been gone the past 10 months. But I'm so glad to be back. I'm currently hanging out in Wheeling, spending time with Niels' family. On Sunday we'll meet up with Mom & Dad and head to Buffalo for almost 2 weeks.

It really is good to be home.

Tomorrow night Niels and I begin our journey home. We will be taking an overnight train to Beijing where we'll hang out with our friend Paul for about 5 days. We'll be there for so long because on the 12th Niels has the LSATs (wish him luck!). Then we'll fly out on the 14th. I'm so excited to come home I could pee.

The past couple weeks have been stressful so the break in Beijing before leaving will be most welcome. Our paperwork to get our work/residency permits have taken longer than they should have (ahhhh Chinese bureaucracy); packing up the apartment is taking a while, we have more stuff than I thought we did; our new school should come pick us up tomorrow to help us take our stuff to our new apartment and they're ignoring our request in typical the Chinese "don't want to deal with conflict" passive-agressive way. The apartment needs to be inspected to make sure we didn't break anything while we were here and we're having a hard time getting someone to come & do it.Our apartment is in various states of disarry. I will be glad when the last bag is packed up and I can sweep the floors. Needless to say we've a lot going on.

These past 10 months have been a wonderful and nightmarish experiece, sometimes at the same time. It really hasn't sunk in that I'm leaving because we've so much going on. I think once I get to my parents' house it'll sink in that I'm no longer in China. Then, I've a feeling I'll be a little sad to be gone.

This will be my last post until I get to Mom & Dad's. See some of you very soon.

I was reminded by my friend Paul, of what happened 18 years ago today.

I remember sitting in 8th Social Studies class watching it all on TV and completely distraught over what was going on wondering how a goverment could ignore the desires of its people.

I have friends (they were toddlers when it happened) who have told me that they as well as their friends have no knowledge of the events that transpired the weeks leading up to that day and how much it pains them....

My friend Matt is currently in L.A., tomorrow morning he will begin his 7 day, 556 mile journey, by bike, to San Francisco. He is doing the ride to help raise money for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation through an AIDS/LifeCycle Ride.

So if you have any change to spare, please go here to make a donation.