Merry Christmas!

It's finally here! Christmas break has finally arrived! Hooray! What a ride it has been! I can't believe we have been here four months - we have already seen so much. Last night and today we got to take part in one of the coolest experiences ever. Every year there is a Christmas concert before break. There are several acts, but the highlight is Balkan dancing. The kids (who are really good) do their performance and then the international (and a few Bulgarian) teachers come out and do the dance they have been practicing for the last two months. As you can see from the pictures, we are in full traditional Bulgarian costumes. It was so fun and so special. I truly enjoyed it and it made me get in the Christmas spirit.
After the concert everyone - all the concert participants, as well as audience members - go outside and dance together in the snow. It's like something out of a novel and, believe me, there were moments I felt like I was in a novel.


Now we are home and in the midst of packing. I talked to my parents on the phone and have to admit I got a little sad. I knew it was going to be hard to be away, but knowing doesn't prepare you for feeling. Muilenburgs, Jendrzejewskis, and everyone else we truly miss you with all our hearts. Christmas isn't going to be the same. Actually, part of what makes it hard is that it truly does feel like Christmas around here with all the snow and especially today during the concert. But, we have each other and I couldn't think of a better partner to be with.


We leave around 5am tomorrow for Italy. It's going to be so nice to get out and get away. We are really looking forward to it.


Merry Christmas to all of you. We love you with all of our hearts and we are taking you with us in our hearts. Oh ... here come the tears again :) Happy tears, as my good friend Lorissa says. We love you so much! Have a merry, merry, merry Christmas and a Happy, happy, happy new year. (I'll try to blog while we are gone, but chances are there won't be any pics until we get back.)