thanks hualien.

this post is dedicated to everone who ever helped us. even when we didn't understand them. and they didn't understand us. they were unselfish, endearing, and generous. whether it was out of pity, necessity, or love--thank you thank you. i am sorry that i still don't know a lot of your names. i promise when we are in heaven and language won't be a problem, i will tell you exactly how cool i think you are.

ever thanks to...
the beef noodle man that smiled each time we left the night market.
the women who made our breakfasts
the crazy aborigine that made our first night hilarious.
the countless parents that said "hello" even when those where the only english words they spoke.
the aborigine teenagers that took us to the waterfalls
the bao tze man that remembered that i only like the veggie ones
the lady in the dress shop in taipei
the miso soup lady that knew we couldn't read chinese
yuling's dad for painstakingly taking care of the garden upstairs
the bbq man that expressed his love constantly
the many many public transportation workers that helped us lost weiguorens.

and more thanks to those whose names we knew...
to ronald who made us smoothies, [almost] always with a smile
to john who showed us true taiwanese hospitality
to president neilson. enough said.
to chinese jeff for being a good example
to yuling who indirectly taught me so much about myself
to foster whose flawless english gives me hope for my chinese
to teacher stephanie who reminded me that living the gospel is the same around the planet
to the missionaries.
to my family for letting me go
to john legend, lauren hill, and chrisette michelle for providing heartbreakingly real music
to teacher jane who showed me that there are different ways to love kids
to charlie for letting us give him an english name. and providing delicious fruit. and killing BG.
to aiya, the best preschool cook.
to the zhun, zhou, and lee family for being amazing examples.
to teacher michelle for being so skin conscious
to andy for being a ridiculous zhongwen laoshi.
to "monkey boy" for providing candy-like pineapple
to amy for being an amazing coworker, travel buddy, and friend
to trisha lee shappie who wrote the most helpful preschool curriculum books

and to thank you to inanimate objects like...
my scriptures that taught me what life is actually about
whole wheat spaghetti and brown rice that provided sunday meals
the trusty water bottle that went everywhere with me
my journal that helped me clarify my thoughts
skype for helping me realize it was possible to have a six month long distance relationship
byebye books for being glorified yearbooks
the mosquitoes for helping me test my self-control

there are more thanks. but that is all i can manage right now in between packing and cleaning.

see you in the STATES!