Just the Beginning

For those of you who are friends with me on the Book of Faces or followers of this blog who read my post a few weeks ago found right here, know that this summer has been anything but relaxing. I arrived from China just two days before my brother's high school graduation where I surprised him. Then, I flew to Minnesota to be with Adam and meet his family and travel around the Midwest. Then we took a train, stopping in Chicago to visit New York. Things changed a bit and instead of going to New York City like originally planned, we learned that my brother had cancer. Of course, no one likes to hear that sort of news at any point in life--it was a bit of a downer but we were determined to make the best of it. So, because we have been looking on the bright side and trying to remain positive, I won't say that this summer wasn't fun--far from it!! It was filled with family, friends, holidays, adventures, and a plot twist in our stories... I think when I look back to this summer, I will consider it fun and stressful at the same time.

I knew once the summer was up I would have to leave Jed and the rest of the family and return to China. I put off my departure twice, one time Adam deciding to stay as well and the second time, I had to send Adam back to China for another two weeks, alone. When the end of August came, it was so painful to leave Jed as he continued to sit in the hospital (I do not joke when I say it is the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my entire life). I was sad to leave New York but I could not wait to be back with my main man and my partner in crime!

After a 14 hour flight (which I managed to sleep for 6 hours!), I arrived in Shanghai to the chaos and insanity that is China. I never like arriving at the Shanghai Pudong Airport because after you get off the plane, go through customs, and get your bags, you have to maneuver your way through a ridiculously long walkway, zig-zagging back and forth all the while people are asking you if you need a taxi or a cell phone while you are desperately trying to searching through the sea of people to find the person you really need. I thought it would be easy! How many tall, bald, white guys are there waiting to pick someone up in Shanghai? The correct answer is five. Each time I saw a pale bald head, my heart fluttered thinking it was Adam... only to find that it was a man covered in tattoos or a man easily in his fifties. I continued to zig and zag my way through the crowd until I finally spotted Adam, standing beside a terrifying panda mascot (seriously terrifying). I did my little scamper happy dance as I leapt up into his arms.

We sat through the three hour bus ride from the Pudong Airport to Wulin Square in downtown Hangzhou and from there, it was still a super sketchy illegal taxi ride that took about an hour to get back out to the little suburb of CangQian. 18 hours of travel time... Uffda!! I was tired but so happy to be back and walking around the campus.

As I made my way up to the 14th floor to my little rinky dink apartment, Adam opened the door for me and I stumbled into my room calling out, "Hello, apartment!"

It was dark in the room so Adam turned the light on for me. As I looked into my room, I saw a box of birthday cake Oreos sitting on my bed next to two wrapped packages. I must have said something excitedly (Adam remembers it all much more clearly than I do!) before I noticed something strange... my map of China was missing from my wall! In it's place was THIS:

"Oh my God!" I almost screamed as my hand flew up to cover my mouth that was hanging open in shock. My stomach started to dance a little jig and my heart was pounding so fast, I thought it would break through my chest! I spun around to look at Adam (I WISH I could have seen my face!!) and there he was on one knee... a ring in his hand (a ring he had been carrying in his pocket ALL DAY sitting right next to me).

And YES! Of course I cried...

We'll get nicer photos taken... This is what we had to work with at the moment. The greatest "That's What She Said" ever!!

I won't say it came as a complete surprise--Adam and I had been seriously talking about marriage since after Spring Festival in February and we had even done a bit of planning over the summer (one of the reasons why it was so busy!). I knew I wouldn't be surprised that he was proposing, but the when, the where, and the how would be a surprise for me and I was certainly surprised!!

Secret planning over the summer:

Dress shopping with Aunt Sue, Ashley (my Maid of Honor), and the mama!!

Asking my theatre girlfriend, Megan, to be a bridesmaid (the only one I could actually ask in person...)

Adam not sure what he's gotten himself into... Food tasting!! Mmmm.....

One of my favorite pics from the summer... cake shopping mixed with a frosting facial.

It was a year ago today that Adam and I hung out for the first time with Other Adam and DH--my first day I moved into my apartment and my first day in CangQian. It was almost exactly a year. Some people might think, "You've only been together for a year! Slow down a bit!" And I honestly, can't argue with those people. It has only been a year but it's been a year of good times, bad times, adventures, laughter, tears, and we've managed to come through pretty unscathed and even more awesome than before! When you know that you have found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, why wait?

For me, it's hard to think that I have reached this point in my life. If you have known me for some time, you would know that I have been painfully single my entire life. A few dates here and there, some crushes... but I don't think I ever experienced "love." At 23, I was ready to spend the rest of my life traveling the world with my cats and my books, alone. No one had ever wanted to be with me and I had never really had a deep desire to be with anyone in particular either, up until that point. I was not necessarily "single and loving it" but I was certainly content with my life. My life had been one adventure after another.... But now I am thrilled to go on my next big adventure with the man I love (now I get to travel the world with my cats, books, and [soon to be] husband)!

For a girl who's life has never really been touched by romance, I am amazed at what life has brought to me. In this big, bright, beautiful world and in the insanity that is China, I have found the love of my life, my best friend, and a partner in crime. It is crazy to think that my coming to China led me to the rest of my life--oh what serendipity--and here I am, engaged to such an amazing man after having come through a veritable wasteland of love for 23 years.

My life is amazing. I wake up every day, thankful for what I have been given and for the choices that I have made. Of all my adventures in life, thus far, I think this one that I am taking with Adam, might be my favorite... And it's only just the beginning of a lifetime of adventures!!

Until Next Time,
Amanda