I Can't Believe It

It's only a few more days until my years in Moscow end.  I am a little sad about it, but the excitement of what is awaiting us is more powerful.  I leave on Sunday, after spending 10 years here.  I NEVER thought I would end up being here this long - it's the longest that I've lived anywhere in my entire life!  I guess it's a good thing that I love it!

I moved to Moscow in 2000, as a 17-year-old college freshman, bright-eyed and eager for the opportunity to get a degree.  And now, I'm leaving as a 27-year-old wife, mother, and recipient of a bachelor's and a master's degree. 

It's hard to believe that so many things happened first here in Moscow - kissing a boy, cutting my own hair, living on my own, bouncing a check (luckily that's the only one), having a cell phone, James proposed here, and we have lived in 3 different places around town, 2 kids born here. 

I love the way the town changes with the seasons - in the fall, the roads are crowded and it takes forever to get anywhere.  In winter, there are big berms down the middle of the road from the snow.  In the spring, people head outside and the frat boys on campus get out the kiddie pools, and then summer comes and the population seems to drop by more than half as so many students leave town.  I will miss living in a college town; there are so many things to do, and many of them are not too expensive. 

And I met a ton of great people and made great friends - some I lived with, some I knew at school, and some at church.  And so many of them have impacted my life in great ways - they don't even know. 

So thanks for the memories, Moscow!  I will miss you.  And hopefully we will make it back sometime to enjoy a burger at Zip's!!