Shopping in Shanghai

Hello Friends. If you're reading this it's because my good friend from St. Louis, Gayle, has graciously offered to post for us on the blog. We have had no access to our blog for the last day, so we've sent her the post. Hoping for better connectivity in Kunming City. We had a "free" day yesterday to shop and just hang out in Shanghai. I "needed" to replace a pearl earring that I had lost (from a trip to Beijing) -- so we went to the pearl market. Also stopped by a few other shops and ate lunch. The picture (if it's here!) is of Lindsay and our guide, Irene, having tea. Irene is a real sweetheart -- a Blessing for us since we've been here. She is 26 years old, married and works for the tourism board here. So - she knows where everything is in the city AND speaks great English. She also loves Lindsay and they became great friends. We met her cousin yesterday after we returned to the hotel. It was hard to say goodbye to her -- she was such a lifeline for us. We ate our first McDonald's burger last night for dinner -- which, I must say, was a treat for us ......just a little reminder of how much we miss home. We are up early this morning - packing to go to Kunming City. If all goes as planned, we meet Ally today......still can't wrap our heads around it, but many of you out there following the blog who have done this know the feeling well. We are just going to enjoy the Miracle of this whole thing. Irene said yesterday how "lucky" Ally will be -- that we are going there to "change her life". I have this sense that WE are the ones who are (as Irene puts it) "lucky" .....that Ally will bless our lives in ways we can't imagine.....................more later. Cheryl