Saratov, Samara, Spring, and Nostalgia

As spring draws near, I can't help but find myself thinking about the spring times I spent in Saratov, walking through huge puddle pathways of melted snow, enjoying the warming weather as we talked to people on the street. Or, in Samara, dodging puddles, (or trucking right through them with galoshes), talking to the incredible people of Russia. Be it college students, young moms on walks, or the amazing babooshki that were selling sweet/healthy somethings they'd grown on their Дачеs. 

I never thought I'd live somewhere as cold as it was on my mission, but--the fact that it's been above freezing only a handful of times in two months proves that I do. That being said, we have a balmy high of 41 degrees today, and I see the icicles outside my window melting as I type.

The cold is a bummer, especially being a person who thrives on sunshine and the outdoors (I guess we can blame my Colorado roots for that). But, those cold winters in Russia made for two of the greenest. warmest, most beautiful summers I've ever seen. Okay, warm is probably an understatement. But, for me--there's rarely a thing as 'too warm'. 

Granted, most of my time on my mission wasn't spent in the green dreamlike places like this picture--it was spent where most of the people were--in the city. 

Either way, as the weather warms and I continually check my phone to see if it's warm enough to take Anthon on walks...I'll be thinking of my year and a half in Russia, the incredible colds and hots of Russia, and the amazing people there I know and will always love.