Today.

Today it's -6˚ Fahrenheit. My daily Russian routine calls for a lot of outdoor walking. My body was so numb I felt like I was on fire.

Today was also the second to last day of school. I'm going to miss these kids so much! Fedya was too nervous to say his line in the Christmas skit (called the "Spectacle" in Russia) and got this red pouty face while Liza, next to him, kept repeating the line for him so he'd finally say it. They're both four; so cute!

Hint hint

Here, Seve.

Open Letter of Love and Affection to my Husband

Dear Seve,

When I was working for the Grand Teton National Lodge Company and missing you because we were engaged and making our wedding plans but you were in that far off land of Missouri making money for our future as a substitute teacher and I was making money as an Activities Coordinator planning client's day hikes, horseback rides and whatnot, I sat down with my boss one day for lunch and she described to me the love she felt for her own husband. They had quit their fancy executive jobs in Florida, bought a big RV, and took off on a journey around the States that left them running out of gas money by the time they reached Wyoming and they had to get a job there. They considered it part of the adventure and she was hired to be my boss and he was hired to be the boss of the people who worked across the lobby from us.

She told me that regardless of the things they were up to, fancy executive jobs or trekking Yellowstone, her love for her husband grew each day. She couldn't believe how much she loved him now. She thought she was on Full the day they married, but here they were a decade later and she loved him even more. I told her I knew what she meant and to an extent I did; I was aware that I would feel this growing love sensation as the years went by. But here we are, approaching our married-a-year mark, and I don't think my previous Teton-self knew I was capable of loving you this much.

I want to thank you for all the love and care you've given me these past two weeks that I've been sick; I know my coughing and nose blowing at night has kept you from sleep just as much as it has me. Thanks for the tea, the cuddles, the Tom Waits, the tissues, the vereniki. 

Thanks for coming to Russia with me, for teaching with me and cruising Moscow and St. Petersburg with me and translating even when I should just try to pronounce the Russian myself. Thanks for not getting so mad at me when I'm clearly being a butthead, and for apologizing when you're being a butthead. Thanks for holding my hand and draping your arm around me and whispering "I love you," and stealing kisses and not caring who's looking.

It's hard to describe the love I feel for you, it's something like a glowing feeling every time I look at you or touch you. You're my best friend, and you're a darn good kisser. You make me feel important and wanted, and I hope I make you feel the same way. Because you are important and wanted, and because I love you.

Jules

Guess What?

I GOT THE JOB!! And it ain't no khaki pants job, either.

You know what I'm saying.

;-).

Cuz' it's an American holiday, that's why!

Totally cool poster by totally cool St. Petersburg artist for some totally cool shopping.

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!

From Russia.

No I in Team. Unless it's the new iTeam app!

Had my job interview today. And. it. was.

Awesome.

Can't wait to hear back about it.

I was so nervous for it. Nervous that I'd have technical difficulty being in Russia and all. Nervous I'd stutter or something, since it was a phone interview and my voice was the only human thing about me they could get to know aside from my resume.

In preparing for this interview, I learned a lot about myself. Like how much I love writing, and how it really is my greatest strength. Not as in "poems are PR33TY" but as in press releases and advertising copy. I love researching and writing that stuff, conveying the right image to the right audience, selling a product/person/idea through my words, writing scripts, coming up with Big Ideas. Writing "Adam Sandler wouldn't be caught dead with it" in order to sell classy men's deodorant. I'm into that stuff.

I realized how much I love to work. How the idea of getting up early and into my black pencil skirt gets me giddy. Like, semi-colon winky face giddy.

;-).

The idea of heading to the office with my cup of not-Joe because I'm Mormon and getting ready to get down to business and work just makes me feel so fulfilled. And working with a team. No really, I love that. Being a "team player." Some people love football, I'm the office-team kind of fan. Go team go. I did work with the AAF and it stole my heart away.

I also realized (more like remembered) how I'm a much better writer than I am a speaker. Oftentimes I over prepare for things and have so much excellent information to deliver I can't decide what to focus on and end up, well, blabbering. Example: my Keds case study is a highlight of my college career, and while I received an A++ on it, the presentation part of my grade was basically a question mark from my professor. After both viewing my presentation and reading my case study, she remarked how she couldn't believe she'd missed [insert great aspect of case study here] from my presentation because she really loved reading about it in the case study. In response, I awkwardly laughed this off while cringing on the inside because I'd obviously made my pearls look like swine upon their delivery.

Today I cast my pearls before some very not-swine-at-all professionals and forgot that I had more pearls I could have, you know, cast. Because of my over-preparation and too-much-material issues. The interview went well but I can't help but second guess myself.

College has filled my head with all kinds of aspirations so let's hope these dreams come true.

Anniversary is coming up.

!!!

I want one.