I may be an almost-28 year old woman but the first question my mom always ask me when I get on the phone with her while being on the race is this:
Are you warm enough?
Why yes I am.
Because even though we are in the middle of Eastern Europe and even though we were FREEZING for a time in Romania last month- Being in the Ukraine?
It's hot here.
But last Saturday at an eyeglass clinic about 2 hours from our home in Lutugino it started to get rainy and stormy.
But not to worry mom- I was still warm enough.
Why you ask?
Because of this sweet Babushka.
She was pampering Emily, Catherine and I [like most babushka's at eyeglass clinics do]. We sang hymns together in Russian and English. She showed us picture of her choir. Also: told me I was a "real woman" because I was "full" and constantly kept patting my hips-she kept smiling and hugging me. I took offense to none of this and by the blessing of God am mostly pretty happy in my own skin. Plus how can you take offense to a babushka?
And when the storm came coming down she noticed that I was without a sweater.
She asked me [in Russian] if I was warm enough- yes of course I was!
I wasn't cold- we were inside and I literally just had to go down a few steps to get snuggled into the big red van.
She whisked away- not sure where she was going. We kept talking and laughing with the other members of the church and speaking in hand gestures and cell phone pictures.
And then out of no where some was hugged around me.
A wooly white cardigan covered in rosebuds.
Apparently SHE thought I was cold.
I tried to take it off- tried to give it back on numerous occasions to no avail.
She would shake her head swiftly no.
So finally when we were loading up to get in the big red van I asked my pops Bruce to tell her thank you and that I would be warm enough in the van without the cardigan.
And once again I was swiftly told no.
So I climbed into Cliff [our big red van] with the white rosebud studded cardigan on my lap in completely awe.
I don't know where the cardigan came from. If it was hers- or the churches- or from the lost and found but I do know this:
God knows what we need even when we don't. I wasn't cold, I didn't need the cardigan.
I needed the love.
It was a day at this eyeglass clinic between watching people have joy at seeing and eating way too much that I had an attack of insecurity.
A moment where I felt that I wasn't where I was supposed to be- a day where all I could thing was that I was never the first choice.
This darling amazing loving babushka showed me love and kindness that I didn't even know I needed.
And I will always remember her, her singing voice, her laughter whenever I put on my white rosebud studded cardigan.
Only one more day here in Lutugino- I am planning on writing a blog about my time here and our escapades at eyeglass clinics while on the train to Kiev! Only a few more days til Africa…and my BIRTHDAY!
[ps thanks to our pops Bruce for the title idea and thanks to my mom for always asking if I am warm enough]
