Back from Outerspace

I hope there are still a few of you that are still checking for updates while I was on my little sabbatical home. I guess I could calculate how many miles that Will and I traveled in 19 days, but it was an amazing feat we pulled off. I know that American Airlines and Hertz Rentacar LOVED our business! At least now I am platinum status and get to walk up the red carpet in front of everyone else to check in at the airport. That’s pretty sweet!

I think we was every member of our immediate family and then a few extensions! We saw all of our nieces and everyone 2 and up knew how to say Aunt Tracy and Uncle Will!! They also knew how to ask: do you have any more presents for us? ☺

We saw friends from elementary school, college and beyond and I even had lunch in Austin with some lovely Tai Tai’s that I have met in Shanghai – that was really surreal. I was able to revisit with co-workers and they were so sweet to think I actually came back and wanted to work a few shifts! In all my travels, I think I sold all of my pearls and handbags and other made in china “goods” – don’t blame me for product safety issues – just don’t suck on the pearls, okay?

I do have to say it was exhausting to see all of our peeps - but I wouldn’t change it – it was an awesome time. Just a reminder of how lucky we are that we are loved by many. That, and Will promised me a mini-vacation to Thailand in October. ☺

Thanks for putting up with our schedules and our luggage and our tired eyes and especially those that witnessed “cranky Tracy.” Thanks to Phil for ONCE AGAIN letting us stay at his place and borrowing his cars, eating his food, messing up his house. But MOST importantly, the rock star friend was immortalized by giving me one of his American Airlines upgrade passes so I could fly back in a swank business class seat. I got some much needed rest, some warm nuts, and a little pinot grigio to take my cares away as I made the return trip home.

Well, that is the end of our first year in Shanghai folks – ah, the good, bad and the ugly have showed themselves to us, but we have managed to survive and have had a pretty good time. I hope that now that I am back, I’m working on making my schedule just a bit more flexible, so I can go back to writing my blog and taking pictures on a more regular basis!