SURPRISE!

It has been absolute TORTURE! But I can now run around outside, I can yell out the window, or climb a mountain and shout it from the peak:

I AM IN A M E R I C A ! !

That's right folks! My original plan of staying in China nonstop for the two years of my employment has been cut in half with a short break from the chaos that is China (just think back to this post). Why? When? How long have I had to keep this a secret? WHY was it a secret?

Well... back during Spring Festival while I was in Nepal I was missing Adam a lot and I was homesick, so my mom and I came up with the plan for me to come home at the end of the semester--I could visit with my family, not be alone in China (which would have been awful), hangout with Adam and get to meet his family, and (the main reason) to be at Jed's graduation. I feel like I have missed so much of his life--I moved out of the house when he was 12 years old and I have missed sharing things with him like Homecoming, soccer games, swim meets, musicals, and now holidays like birthdays and Christmas. I had just missed his Eagle Scout ceremony, so I knew I definitely wanted to be there to support him on the day of another great accomplishment of his. But it wasn't enough for me to just go to his graduation--I wanted him to think that I was in another country--on another continent.

The only people who knew (or were supposed to know) were my parents and my aunt and uncle... Of course, no one can keep secrets and a few people shared with me that they knew that I was America bound.

This was what my cousin, Ashley, sent me just 1 week ago... Seems like forever ago now!

I had my own countdown going...

 It was like this great something--this fantasy that lingered at the end of my semester. My classes ended. I finished my grades. I said goodbye to all of my friends. I packed up my books (boy, are they heavy!). I cleaned my apartment. I packed my two suitcases. I IMPATIENTLY waited for the 26th to come. {Seriously, it was torture having been completely done with everything nearly three weeks earlier}.

For the first time in forever, I didn't wait until the day before to pack!!

But finally the day arrived and we made our way from Hangzhou to Shanghai (in the rain), we got onto our 14 hour flight, waited in line at customs forever, eventually found our luggage and then ran into the arms of my parents (well... I did that, Adam didn't).

It was great to be back in a familiar place with people that I know love me and are happy to see me! I camped out at my Aunt and Uncle's in order to hide from Jed (the hope was that he still had no idea that I was coming) until Saturday morning when I arrived at the high school, was quickly ushered backstage in the auditorium by some of the teachers and I waited impatiently back there for graduation to start.

Jed was winning a scholarship and I was working with the leader of the school's foundation board. I learned that I wasn't just giving Jed his award, I was helping to present it! I quickly came up with something short and sweet to say (no one likes anyone long winded at graduation).

The leader of the foundation board was on stage, explaining what the scholarship was for and then he added, "For the first winner, I have a special guest from far away to help present it." I stepped out from where I was hiding behind a wall of teachers that were strategically placed.

I quickly explained that I had just arrived from China and then announced that my brother won the scholarship.

Waiting for him to come down from the back row was torture! The minute he hit the stage, he ran up to me and just lifted me up in his arms with tears in both our eyes.

MISSION: Accomplished! He had no idea!!

I am so proud of him. All my life he has been my little baby brother. I always wanted to protect him, show him new things. He would be the one to follow me and my friends around when he was little. He was the adorable little kid playing Oliver Twist in Oliver! He's my brother. He's my friend. He's my baby brother. He's such a wonderful young man. I could not be more proud of him.

The WooGull cousins reunited!! I missed these crazy peeps!

I am going to try and fit in as much 'Merica as I can while I am away from China. I'll be here for about 5 weeks, visiting family, celebrating holidays, and visiting parts of the country I've never been to before. I cannot wait to see friends and family that I haven't been able to see in the last 10 months, eat as much food that I can't get in China as I can, buy books, and just spend time with my parents and Jed. I am so happy to be home even if it is for a little while... Let's hope our paths cross sometime this summer!

Until Next Time,
Amanda