Scarlett's right

Today is yesterday's tomorrow. (Profound, eh?) And Scarlett is right--it is another day.

Thanks for the encouragement when I was still in yesterday.

Yes, all yesterday's post was true. But, it's not the state that I live in. I just got hit while I was sitting in front of the computer, keyborad on my lap, and it all spilled out. By the end of the post, I was already feeling better. Now, with some St. John's wort in me, my sleep tank filled and some spaghetti for breakfast I'm feeling better. And that is much more like me. A pollyannaish outlook may seem disingenuous to those who don't know me irl, but really, it's pretty kateish. And it's nice to have it back.

I had a post started a while back that talked about how I can still feel kateish in the midst of living here. One occurrence came when I was buying a Christmas tree. I was obviously their first customer and they hadn't worked out all the kinks yet. There was a big tent outside Okey. You chose your tree (potted), got a ticket, and took it inside to pay. No one quite knew where I was supposed to pay and I trekked back and forth between a checkout line and the information desk several times. They each kept referring me to the other. It was funny. But, that's not the kateish bit.

When I'd finally paid and brought out the receipt and reassured them that they could keep it (they were quite flummoxed that there was only one copy) they asked me which tree. I showed them and the woman asked the man what tree it was--big or little (ha! I chose the biggest little tree.) The man said it was little. I replied, "Yes, a little Christmas tree." and sang the first line of a song in Russian to them about a little Christmas tree in the cold winter.

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I burst into song with little provocation. (This is a constant source of amusement to Ann Marie. Yes, it happens during phone calls, too.) To be able to do this in Russian was fun. It's the only Russian New Years song I know, and I only know parts of it, but it just popped into my head and out of my mouth before I even thought about it. I got to sing it! And the workers recognized it, sang the second line back to me, and gave me my tree.

I am a pretty good do-er of little girls' hair. When I walked into the orphanage for the Christmas party, I was greeted not with a cup of tea, but with, "Kate! Make the girls' hair look beautiful." It was the nicest greeting. It made me feel like part of the family instead of a guest. And it's nice to know that French braids are as coveted in a Russian orphanage as they are in my classroom and in the homes of the US.

These little bits of kateishness are encouraging to me. They're things that say that I am still me--no matter where I am.

Home will come. Life will unfold. The waiting will end...one way or another. And then we'll see.

ps Jenni, that's one of my favorite quotes from Shakespeare in Love! Thanks for reminding me. I've added it to the quotes at the top.