And I’m out!

It was a very quick and busy two weeks back in Oregon and now once again I’m off to China! Portland International Airport was actually quite busy when I got there at 4:30am to check in for my first flight to Vancouver, British Columbia Canada.  Yet, when I landed here (in Vancouver now) I was the first one through customs and entered a complete empty terminal for international flights.  Most of the security guards are still sitting around drinking coffee and I am one of maybe 5 passengers in the entire terminal. It looks like my flight to Shanghai at 11:15am is the first international flight of the day, so most passengers don’t arrive at 7:30am.

After two nights of very little sleep, I sort of wish I were sleeping still!  The last few days have been a whirlwind of excitement, emotions, friends and family. My beautiful sister pulled off one of the best (if not the best) weddings I have ever been too. From Friday afternoon manicures and pedicures, the rehearsal dinner, breakfast at my moms with the bridesmaids, getting ready at the venue outside Eugene, Oregon, to the wedding, the delicious BBQ and fruit pies at the wedding, and the dancing that followed it was 36 hours of fun, food, drinks and tons of people to socialize with.  But we couldn’t end there!  We had a quick trip to the bar after the wedding venue kicked us out, I said farewell to the beautiful bride and her new husband and wished them a fabulous honeymoon in the Virgin Islands.  I’m sort of jealous!  I wish I had a week in the Virgin Islands to relax before heading back to Shanghai.

Leah & Jeremiah - the first dance as husband and wife. (By the way, I think my sister is pretty cool for using a Metallica song for her first dance.)

Being home made me remember how much I love Oregon, and how blessed I am to have such amazing people in my life there, who care so much about me.  I think it is much harder going BACK to Shanghai than when I originally left because the newness, adventure and excitement of the unknown has worn off.  Or it could be because I don’t have a return plane ticket this time.  Taking a one way ticket across the globe and really not knowing when I will be home again adds to the uncertainty and anxiety of going back.

I know I will continue to enjoy Shanghai and life in China.  Well, and the life I led the past two weeks in Oregon wasn’t exactly the real world. Perfect weather doesn’t last long in Oregon, although we were blessed with it the past two weeks, couch surfing between friends houses would get old after awhile, and I certainly couldn’t manage to spend spend spend without making a dime for much longer in the States.

Three hours until my flight…

Sisters are too much fun!

As I have a little time, I want to thank everyone who made my trip to Oregon so wonderful!  I appreciate each and every person I was able to see again, meet for the first time, spend time talking with and all of you that helped me out!  I am probably forgetting many people, but THANK YOU and lots of love to everyone.

A HUGE thank you to my mom, for letting me use her car for the majority of the trip, for letting me crash at her place in Eugene, for taking such good care of my Jack while I’m away, and for a million other things I don’t have time to mention.  Thanks to Matt too, the best step-dad a 29 year old girl could ask for.  I love you both and can’t wait to show you around China!

Bride & our Mommy!

Thank you, Beth, my dear friend, for being my ride to and from the airport, provide a couch to sleep on for many nights, letting me drive your new car and just being an awesome friend! (I left the end of a bottle of wine in your fridge… drink it!)

Thank you, Chris, Crystal and Rio Logan for being fabulous hosts, for home cooked meals and helping me to appreciate little dogs more.  You guys are a true blessing.

Thanks to Chris and Sheena Blevins for the use of their guest room, car and the endless amounts of delicious food in the cupboards.  I wish I could have had more time to hang out with you, and I really appreciate your hospitality.

Thank you God, (he really is the most important) for blessing me with a wonderful family of believers at Solid Rock and for the time I had to share and fellowship with them at House Church and on services on Sunday.

Thank you to the best sister ever, Leah (Yeager) Price,  for getting married so I had an excuse to come home, for letting me play such an important role in your day and for all you do for me.  And of course thanks to your groom for picking my sister!  He is a smart man.

Sisters at the rehearsal

Thank you, Dad for coming and spending time with your daughters, bringing us gifts from your trip to the UK and being a huge part of Leah’s day even though you were more jet-lagged than me!

Thank you to everyone of my MIM friends who made it out to my birthday happy hour to see me and celebrate with me.  I love all the generations of my MIM family.

Thanks to Janell and Cindy for lunches to catch up and for always being there no matter how busy and crazy life gets.

A big thank you to the rest of my extended family who took the time to travel and come see us this weekend!  It was great to see you all again after (in many cases) many years.

Family!

And also a big thank you to Leah’s new family in law, friends and vendors (all of whom were AMAZING) for helping my sister and brother in law have a fabulous wedding day. (Photographer Holli True, DJ Troy Kelly, Bartender Trevor Spangle, Hair by Amanda Morgan, Make up by Chelsea Gassner, Venue Deep Woods with day of coordinator & owner Karol Niemeyer, flowers by ???, delicious pies from Paula Walker (mother of the groom) and Wild Plum, delicious catering from Hole in the Wall Barbeque.)

I'm with the DJ, okay??

And who ever I am forgetting… I love you too!

Final Countdown…

It is here at last! The event I flew back to Oregon for, the event my sister has spent 15 months planning for (and 31 years waiting for).  In just under 24 hours my dear sister, Leah Joy Yeager, will walk down the aisle and become Leah Joy Price as she marries the man of her dreams.

The beautiful bride and me before I kidnapped her for her bachelorette party

My mom is busy cleaning house for the morning-after-the-wedding brunch, my sister is probably running around like crazy somewhere thinking she is forgetting something, my dad should be driving into town (jet-lagged as he was in Europe the past 3 weeks and returned to the States yesterday), I just talked to the groom who I believe was driving one of his brother’s somewhere, family is in town – more family than I have seen in one place in decades if not my entire life – and in less than an hour we will be off for the rehearsal dinner.

I’m prepared.  I’m not stressed.  I’m just the sister of the bride and the maid of honor.  I’m golden.  I’m as relaxed as can be considering I have been on vacation for the past 11 days.  I only have one thing to do….

Oh yes, the toast. If you know me at all, or even just know my blogs.  I have a gift for rambling.  I can talk and talk and talk.  I can write and write and write.  I can go on about anything for quite some time if I really want to (and especially if I have had a drink or two).  But I can’t seem to come up with something to say for my dearest sister’s wedding toast.  I mean, it isn’t really life or death – they will get married and for better or worse til death do them part will be husband and wife.  Does anyone even listen to toasts?  There are more people that can talk and say the mushy stuff, right?

Well, not exactly, you see – my sister decided to put a little pressure on me (or rather decided to save herself & her soon-to-be husband from embarrassment and her guests from unnecessary boredom) and there will be a total of TWO toasts at the wedding.  Two and only two.  One from the best man and brother of the groom, Isaac, and one from the lovely maid of honor and sister of the bride, ME.  And this causes me stress.

I can go up there and ramble without any preparation.  I can guarantee that.  But I want something meaningful.  From the heart as everyone (including the movie “Wedding Crashers”) tells me.  But I like being funny.  I want to be prepared.  But I can’t seem to.

Sigh, I guess I will just have to go help the mother of the bride with her rehearsal dinner outfit. Oh, procrastination.

The Beauty of a Chinese Wedding

Between Irene (from Taiwan) and Kelvin (from Hong Kong) who met at George Fox University in Oregon.

There is no need to choose the perfect dress, when you can have 6…

Pre-Wedding Pictures Dress 1

Pre-Wedding Pictures Dress 2

First Dress of the Wedding

Second Dress of the Wedding

Third Dress the Wedding (My favorite - but I didn't get a full shot of it!)

Fourth & Final Dress of the Wedding

She had a gorgeous dress on in pictures from her engagement party in Taiwan too…

There is no need to choose 5 courses, when you can have 11…

Menu

And yes, I did try EVERYTHING! (Remember what I said about geoduck)

It is always a pain to find your name on the seating chart…

…unless you are the only non-Chinese!

I think that is me!

There were some unique cultural aspects, like serving elders tea in exchange for red envelopes.  (Red envelopes contain cash for those unaware).

Serving Tea

But also similarities to American weddings.

Bouquet Toss (Winnie caught it!)

Reading Vows

You may kiss the bride...

And, lots of alcohol and fun!  Other than me being exhausted with jetlag and not understanding anything being said – it was a wonderful & gorgeous wedding.  I wish the best to the beautiful bride & her handsome groom.