The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Let's start with the Ugly and work our way backward, shall we?

The Ugly

So this weekend started out well, but that joy quickly died when my cell phone was stolen. We had gone to the Muslim quarter on Saturday and had a great time shopping for souvenirs. We stopped at Starbucks on our way out because they typically have a western style bathroom. 

After assisting Rachel, we sat at a table to rest and figure out the remainder of the afternoon. At that point I couldn't find my phone and after a few minutes of searching in my purse I determined that I must have set it down while we were in the restroom.

Unfortunately when I went to look, it was already gone. I was devastated and distraught. I immediately burst into tears thinking of the lost pictures and videos, plus all my apps that help me get around China. 

The associates at Starbucks were very kind and tried to help me in any way they could and even gave us a free orange juice. I tried calling my phone but whoever stole it turned it off right away. I had planned on locating a bank to get money out of the ATM because I had spent all my cash on the souvenirs we bought. This turned into a challenge that further upset me but we were finally able to locate one and get back home. 

It was lucky that I still had my US phone with me and I was able to email a few people to let them know what happened.

That evening we had planned on visiting some friends in our apartment community but after this mess I really didn't want to. Rachel and my friend D. convinced me that I would feel better with friends so I gave in and joined in the socializing. You'd think that my troubles would be over for one day but...

The Bad

Later that night I went back to the apartment to grab some snacks for the group. Rachel and I headed back out and enjoyed the rest of the evening with our friends. At around 11, we returned home only to find that I had locked the key inside the apartment. This reopened the "flood gate" of emotions from earlier in the day and immediately I didn't know what we were going to do. 

Luckily, as I was sitting on the floor sobbing, my sweet little angel Rachel reassured me that it would all be okay. In her unbelievably compassionate way, she helped peel my sorry butt off the floor so we could solve the problem. We stayed at a friend's house that night and I was able to get the spare key from the school the next day. 

The Good

This little miracle worker is so tender and sweet. She constantly repeated the things I needed to hear, like "it will be ok mommy.", "lets say a prayer for the key." and "at least we have each other." I told her that I should be the one taking care of her not the other way around, and she told me that sometimes she needed to take care of me too. She handles crisis mode like champ!

She didn't fuss or whine the entire time. She just kept loving me and helping me. She is an incredible example to me. 

This experience has been very humbling. You don't realize how much you rely on your technology until your are in a foreign country without it. It's nearly impossible to do anything. You have to be willing to lean on your friends and accept their help even when pride is working against you.

Once my friends heard about our trouble, they were quick to lend a hand in any way they could. "Get a taxi and I will meet you at the gate to pay for it." a few people said when they were worried we wouldn't find an ATM. Shared sympathy was expressed by everyone when they heard about my stolen phone. Including stories of their own lost or stolen devices. "You girls can always stay anytime you need."after being locked out.

Hugs were offered as were shoulders to cry on.

We often talk about helping others and loving others but it is difficult, at times, to be on the receiving end because we are just not that good at accepting help. This experience has taught me to love and help even more and to be more willing to accept help from those around me.

I feel even more blessed when I look into the sweet face of my daughter because I know she loves me unconditionally despite all my many faults and I know that is how God sees us.

The pictures can't be replaced but the memories will last and we will take new pictures. It sucks to have to buy a new phone but it's only money and you can't take it with you when you depart from this life. The only thing we can take is the knowledge we gain and the love we share for one another and in that regard I am the most blessed of all.