Just let me fall to be of use, make me the rainstorm, just a piece of hail, you know.

Wintry dreams and wonders. Something about winter always makes me feel at home. Maybe that's what happens when you spend your defining years in the arctic tundra of Northern Michigan. But the familiar feeling of snowy ground and rosy cheeks feels like home, safety and that everything is going to be fine and there are no worries. At least in its first moments winter and its weather tends to bring me comfort. Perhaps in two months when I'm done with walking around in snow I won't feel the same way, but for now I can feel the difference in my mood having to do with snow, coolness, long underwear and a newly found musician who's fitting my wintry bliss just right.

Two entries in one week suffice to say is a product of this happiness. I feel as if these past few weeks have been spent in a haze; one induced by the boredom of my work. My mom called me out on it last time I talked to her on skype, commenting that i just seemed bored. Which is true. I'm itching for winter break to come and to give me some refreshment in that department. But in all honesty today I played battleship with my sixth form and couldn't have been happier. It was good number and letter practice and I just really felt nice to take a break from putting on the show. My second form we actually did some learning. This isn't my favourite group from last year, in fact, its the group where I regularly have to break up fights. But it is home to two students who I worked with this summer at camp who adore me. And between one wanting to stand with me at the front of the room while I teach so he can hold my hand and the other one coming up to me when I was working with another student just to give me a hug my little christmas filled heart grew three times its size.

I talked to Kyle this morning; talked being metaphorical for facebook chat. I could go into the millions of ways and reasons why this conversation set the mood for a day without any problems, but suffice to say Kyle brings humanity into my life and reconnects me to my own life; and I'm grateful for a small moment where we could commune over my morning tea making me feel like my life in America wasn't too far away from me.

I started teaching the militia, by started teaching I mean I showed up for my meeting which was in all honesty a comedy of errors from beginning to end. There are a couple of things I can check off my life list: sitting in a police office with 3 men while they question me about my background (albeit in a non-threatening and more flirtatious manner). Having Ukrainian Militia men ask me to translate two things, "Hello" and "hammer." After being up-ed and down-ed by the first office I had a Seargeant of the Lviv regional police compliment my eyes and then up and down me ask me if I wanted to drink cognac and later in his office before he told me about his dead wife started singing a song about my beautiful "Kari Ochi" otherwise known as hazel eyes, which I don't have, he insisted I did because my name is Kari. Finally, he told me if ever i was in a bar and drunk men wanted "bad things" I should call him and he would take care of it. Thanks Sir! So, now, if wanted I have protective Ukrainian Militia detail and a lot of men who think I'm "their american" brought especially to teach them English and brighten their day with my coy blushing and giggling ways. So many life goals accomplished and only an hour and a half spent in the office.

so there it is a second entry for the week. i hope you're all feeling the warmth I'm enjoying right now in the soul sense rather than the temperature sense.

loveandhugstoall