China Trip

I have been back from China exactly two weeks and it feels like I was there 2 months ago! I can't believe how quickly it came and went.  The trip itself was absolutely amazing.  Never in a million years did I ever think I would be in CHINA but the stars aligned and I was.

But I will not lie to you and say it was an easy trip because it was FAR from it.  Before I left a lot of my friends asked me how I was going to handle being away from Sofia.  My response was always "I'll be FINE, and if I'm not, I'll get over it. I'm going to CHINA!"  And I really and truly thought I would be able to handle being that far from her for that many days.  I was totally wrong.  Extremely wrong.  When we arrived in Beijing after flying for 15 hours in one plane and another 2 1/2 in another, I was spent.  I was tired, dirty, hungry...I did not feel good at all. I think when we got to our hotel it hit me that I was in another country thousands of miles away. And it's not like I was a few hours away, I was ACROSS the Pacific Ocean. Literally.  After all of this hit me, I wanted to go home. Like right away. I'm not even lying.  I knew there was no way in hell I was going to make it.  I really thought I was going to have a mental breakdown and be put in the Chinese crazy people house. LOL!! It's funny now, but it wasn't then.

I tried to go to bed but I couldn't.  I was tossing and turning and I just felt "off".  I knew I had made the wrong decision to come and I wanted to be in my own bed with my family where everything was normal.

Well as you all know, I never went home early and I stayed the entire time in China and I am so glad that I did. I'm glad that I didn't know it was going to be so hard on me because I probably would have stayed home and how LOSER-ISH is that? I would have never gotten to see the Great Wall, The Forbidden City, etc.  And it was nice to know that I could do it.  Even though it was super duper hard, I did it! And I have pictures to prove it.

I was so glad to get home and I was so very happy to see my baby's face. I of course cried like an idiot when I saw her...and then I remembered I hadn't said hi to Boogie. I think I dropped my bags in front of the car and ran to Sofia. LOL! I think I even ran over Jill as I saw my car pulling up.  I couldn't help it. :-)

I will definitely travel again but I think I need some time to gear myself up for it.  I don't think I can leave Sofia for that long of time again anytime soon.  But my saving grace for this trip was Michelle Arnold and Jill Reese.  It was comforting to know that they were there and if I went crazy, they would at least visit me. :)  So to them, I am forever grateful.

My favorite picture of the trip.

Michelle, me and Jill at Summer Palace