What a treat to have the entire Wilkinson family visit us in Shanghai!! They went to a ton of trouble getting everyone visas. It required them making two trips to DC! On November 21st they flew from SLC to LA where only three of them got on the flight to Shanghai flying standby (Karen, Brad and Amie). Thankfully the others made the flight the next day.
On Monday we went to the wet market for fruits and vegetables, ate dumplings for lunch at Din Tai Fung and shopped at the fake market for purses and headphones. Brad also got a suit made. Monday evening we picked up the rest of the family at the airport and took them to see our church building (a conference center).
On Tuesday a few of them got up early and attended early morning seminary with James and Emma. John took a flight to Beijing for a business trip. Rachel, Amie and Karen attended my morning Zumba class. We toured Yu Gardens and all the kids got silhouette cut-outs made. Yu Gardens also sells famous dumplings which we tried. We shopped again and then went to the Era acrobat show that night. Jet lag made it hard for a few of them to make it to the end of the show.
Leaving for early morning seminary
Yu Gardens
Wednesday I let Eliza and Tessa skip school. We left early in the morning to visit Fuxing Park where many retired people come out to dance, play badminton, dance and sing. We joined a group that sang “Jingle Bells” in English for us. Maggie and Mike got eye glasses made. Then we walked about Jing’An temple and bought cinnamon rolls from a lady in our district that recently opened a small shop. At 3:30 I had to be at the school for our HS musical auditions for the Addams’ Family. The auditions went until 7:00 but I left after the dance section to take the Wilkinsons to a Chinese restaurant called East/West. When auditions were over James and Emma met us at the restaurant. We were excited to hear that they got the parts they wanted — playing brother and sister (Wednesday and Pugsley Addams). The temperatures had dropped and it was freezing and windy so some of the younger girls stayed home while the rest of us walked the Bund (boardwalk along the river).
Fuxing Park
Thursday we had a half day of school. After Karen and Mike put the turkey in the oven we attended our "all school chapel". Emma performed two songs at the chapel and told the story of Ruth and Naomi. Back at home, John walked in the door from Beijing the same time as we did. We finished cooking together and enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast late that afternoon! After eating we enjoyed our one hour foot massages ($10 each). We were a big group of 14 people so took up four rooms. We came home for pie and it was time for the Wilkinsons to pack all their Chinese treasures (Ugg boots, head phones, purses, wallets, a model airplane, lulu jackets…) since their flight home was the next morning.
All school Thanksgiving chapel
Shopping!
Karen and Mike were a huge help in the kitchen. They made the turkey and the pies!
This was such a memorable Thanksgiving of us!
