Super Angie...China 2009...Market girls

I simply can't get enough of going to Silk Alley and visiting with my friends there. On this occasion, I was wearing this giant flower ring I had bought from Kristin right before going to China. I loved this chunky ring. It was a new style for me as I usually don't wear rings, but I really took a liking to it. Very cool. :) Well, while chatting with my scarf friends, one decided she wanted to find me a purple LV scarf, so she set off looking for it. Everyone was going nuts, digging here and there, looking in the closet--looking everywhere for this scarf. So I just stood there smiling and looking at things. This cute young girl came up and in extremely limited English told me "just a minute". Then she noticed my ring and complimented me on it. So I did something very Russian...I took it off and placed it in her hand.Her smile grew and grew. She tried to give it back to me, but of course, I wouldn't let her. What a cute darling girl! :) I hope to see her again next time I go.
These are my two dearest friends.

I met them on my first trip to China. I was going up the escalator with my tour group. We were heading to Sami and Lilly's on the 4th floor. On the way up I saw the scarf I wanted and pointed to it. The girls saw me point and told me to come. I yelled down that I had to go to jewlerly first, but I would be back.

After getting the pearls with the rest of the tour group, I headed down to the scarves. The girls were SO SHOCKED- "You came back!" and from then on, we had a friendship. Yes, I know I can buy scarves WAY cheaper on the street, but I always make sure I buy some from my girls. I bring them gifts (chocolate and Jewlery) and they give me gifts (scarves). They remember how many people are in my family and they ask about my kids. They were excited to meet my dad, and on a separate day, while chatting with them, one of them called out, "Hey! Your dad is here!"--she remembered him! :)

I hope and pray I can go back to China again in 2011 and for the rest of my life. I have a special bond with these girls. I pray that someday China will be opened and the gospel will be taught to these special people.

Yes I love my Gucci, LV and Burberry bags. Yes I love my pearls. I love my jeans and poloshirts too. I love getting neat coats and I LOVE buying so many gifts for friends and family. I love bartering and getting crazy. I love the energy of the silk market. But the thing I love the most is seeing these special friends in the market.

God Bless them All!