Tuesdays

Tuesdays are busy days for me here in Ukraine. The schedule goes like this.

7:00-Wake up, shower, breakfast.
8:00-Walk, drown in the metro, walk some more to school.
9:00-Teaching teaching teaching. Little adorable crazy children.
12:00-Teaching ends. Work out begins. Tae Bo to be exact. Billy Blanks and I are tight. Don't be too jealous.
1:00-Small break to write this blog.
1:30-Russian lesson. One of my very favorite parts of the week! Learning Russian is so fun and also overwhelming. I wish I could learn more and actually become fluent someday.
2:30-Lunch.
3:00-Walk and metro some more.
4:00-Arrive at the Powell's. The Powells are a family in my branch here for 2 years working for the embassy. The father is the branch president. The mother is the primary president. They have four children from ages 13-2. Two of which were the stars of the primary program this past Sunday. Did I tell you about the primary program? Oh it was wonderful! We had practiced lots and with just three kids I was a little worried. But it was beautiful. The spirit was very powerful. I am so glad I get to work with the primary kids! Back to schedule. The next few hours are spent teaching piano. We've arranged a nice little trade where I teach the kids piano each week and they feed me dinner and let me do laundry in their washer AND dryer. Yes a real dryer. It is always a pleasant night to be in a house that feels so homey.
7:30-Walk again. It happens a lot.
8:00-Institute. We have the sweetest little Ukrainian teacher. She works so hard to plan our lessons. It is hard for her to teach in English, but you know how much she really cares. We are studying families in the Old Testament. I love having a little spirtual boost in the middle of my week from our small institute class.
9:45-Get home, scripture study, possibly skype, and try to make it in bed by 11:00.

A very full, but very happy day. I love Tuesdays. And it is sad to think I only have 3 left after today. So much of me is craving America. I'm so excited to see people again and to be home. But a lot of me doesn't want to leave Ukraine. I don't want it to actually be over. I will miss this place so much. I keep realizing that more each day that goes by. I'm scared to say goodbye to this place that has taught me so much, that has provided so much adventure in my life. I'm scared to leave a piece of my heart here, because I know that will hurt. Change can bring pain, but it also brings new joy. Goodbyes never get easier. New chapters come in our life. But it is comforting to think the best is yet to come. I really do believe that. Even though life will move on, I'm grateful that we can always take our memories and experiences with us. Ukraine has become a part of me. And as I leave a piece of me here, I take a bigger piece back home. A piece that will never leave me the rest of my life.

I know that you may think I am jumping the gun. I still have 27 days left. But that means I've already had 83. And that means I only get to see my kids 16 more times. It already hurts to think of saying goodbye to them. Today in basic reading the kids were saying "Miss Sarah we love you!" So of course I said "I love you too!" Then Illia looks at me and gets a big smile and says "I love you forty five!" He didn't know I meant I love you too, not two. Then Marina, Genya, and Illia kept yelling numbers that weren't really numbers "I love you six hundred forty two seventy sixty eight!" They kept trying to think of the biggest English numbers they could. Then there was some attacks of hugs and tickles and kisses and giggles. And it made me so happy. And I knew in that moment that they were going to be one of the biggest pieces I take home from this. I really really love these kids. I love them nine hundred twenty four eighty one thirty seven ninety fifty eleven.