Goodbyes

Here's are all the folks who are part of my goodbye list as I prepare to head home:

My babies.

My co-teachers.

Gerry, our FAO.

Everyone at Taiyuan Teens.

Everyone at our Foreign Fellowship.

Everyone at Zhong Bei. 

The shopkeepers across the street. 

The school guards. 

Friends doing this program in other parts of China.

My team.

That’s over 500 people...which is a lot of people.

I haven’t said bye to all of them yet, but I will in the next nine days.

Do you know how tiring goodbyes are?

I’m almost ready to jump on the plane and just yell “ADIOS!” out the window and be done with it.

That’s the thing about investing in a place—you have to say goodbye when you’re done.

Which I almost am. 

In the midst of all the excitement, sad sighs, last-minute shopping and packing, I realize

I did it. 

I didn't make it alone, the blessings that occurred this year were not of my doing, and now I'm looking at the finish line--which is also a starting line for what's next. 

5 days in Taiyuan, 2 days in Beijing, 1 day in LA, and then onto the green hills of Tennessee. 

Wow. 

Wow, wow, wow.