Mama.

My mom is here. 

That is one of the most wonderful and comforting sentences a human could ever say. 

My mom flew around the world to hang out with me for 10 days. And we are making sure those 10 days are great (regardless of what the weather throws us!)

I went to Shanghai Wednesday to pick her up. I was so proud she flew here all by herself. She was greeted with a home made sign and a burger king diet coke...

We road the bus 3 hours to Hangzhou.

And Thursday morning got mom's fave Chin.ese food she remembers from her last visit 2 years ago...
breakfast pancakes made on the street!

Happy mommy!

We've been to the West Lake...

photographed pagodas...

seen the golden buffalo who is rumored to live at the bottom of the lake...

had lunch in a tea house...

had dinner with my best Chin.ese friends...

celebrated a good friend's birthday at a German restaurant (beer for us, diet coke for mom)...

and loved each second together.

While on the bus, my mom was on the phone and announced to my dad, "We are on the bus, this is fun!" and the Chi.nese girl next to her smiled (obviously understanding). She's witnessed my road rage when I flicked off a ridiculous taxi driver (oops). We've had foot massages and perused Walmart's strange aisles. She's bought 4 exotic flavors of Oreos (for gifts!) and drank her weight in Coke Zero since there is a severe lack of diet coke. She's learned about Chin.ese folk tales from my friends and been startled by traffic's dangerous patterns. We've spent 4 minutes in the vegetable market (scared off by the fisheads and live eels in buckets), and eaten in the school cafeteria.

She's doing great with chopsticks and embracing every different experience with patience and wonder. We are having so much fun living daily life.


I love my mama.
My mama's here.


(!!!)




walk slow. xoxo.