ChinaBird

SHANGHAI!     Several weeks back I was asked by my superiors if I would like to join our team on a business trip to Shanghai. My heart was elated at the invitation, yet I had some hesitation as to how this would all pan out (financially, logistically, etc). If you know me personally, then you know that I'm new to adventure and I'm also planner, I like to know the details of things and what to do incase of emergency, and so on.  I say that I'm new  to adventure, because before I came to China, I never really had gone on any adventures. Sure, a few missions trips in Mexico and a bike ride or hike in the forest preserve every now and then, but nothing that forced me out of my comfort zone. Thankfully living in China has changed all of that, I now love the spontaneity of life and the rawness of every adventure - it's truly incredible! After the details of this trip were presented to me, and I realized that most of my expenses would be paid by our gracious hosts, my hear

“For there is no friend like a sister In calm or stormy weather;  To cheer one on the tedious way,  To fetch one if one goes astray, To lift one if one totters down,  To strengthen whilst one stands”   ~~~ Christina Rossetti       The Preedin Sisters, Summer 1993    I grew up with two of the most loving people and friends that I also have the pleasure of calling my sisters, Cynthia and Kathryn. I can recall thousands and thousands of memories with these two in them, from playing "Sisters" on the front porch to our late night back-scratching nights and the nights we spent singing "Mayberry" at the top of our lungs in the mid summers air; we had a great childhood and still remain the best of friends. If you have sisters, then you know the special bond that we share, it's really unexplainable. As a kid I took advantage of being the baby of the family and with that took for granted my sisters, but now that I'm an adult I've come