4 Days to Go!

Tonight's dining experience: L-R James, my tutor's father holding Will, and our host.

Tonight's hostess, Gula, a shopkeeper in our town (also my tutor's cousin).

Will helping to make lagman (the most traditional U dish) at my tutor's house. Tonight's hostess Gula was there helping as well (on the left).

Two nights after that, my tutor and her parents at our house for dinner.

My English class, our helper Ishmael's two daughters plus a cousin. (And Will, a reluctant addition)

The final countdown has begun... I have such mixed feelings. Only 4 days left til we leave... it's Sunday night here, and we leave early Friday morning for the airport. I'm really starting to look forward to this next phase, but I'm also so sad to leave this special little town and all our sweet friends we've made already! We had a wonderful dinner tonight at the house of some very hospitable local friends here, and another dinner last night to commemorate the 18th anniversary of a neighbor's mother's death (interesting, huh?). I'm trying to figure out which nights I have left to use up the last frozen meat in our freezer!

I feel so connected to the people in this town. Before we came I shared with some of you all my fears about whether or not Will would thrive here, given his sweet personality and how unfriendly this country seemed to be initially-- all fears gone now. They all love him! Tonight our hostess couldn't stop holding him and kissing him-- she bought him a little Russian board book and wrote in it for him, in Russian (even though she's U) "To William from Auntie Gula" and the date. She says if a day goes by when we don't stop by her shop, she misses Will. I already feel so much acceptance and willingness to help from these ladies-- which takes some of the fear out of coming back with two little ones, in the dead of winter!

Please ask for good closure with everyone here, and for Will as we travel and transition. I'm going to print out pictures of our house and our friends to show him while we're away, so he doesn't forget who everyone is. One last praise: we finally installed our water tanks and automatic pump today, so now we have water all the time, instead of just a few sporadic hours a day! Luxury! (Just in time, right? We get to enjoy it for 4 days and then leave... but how nice it will be with an infant to have hot water available 24/7 when we come back! PTL!)