On this day... 28? Really 28? Christopher, you're getting old.

Yes. On this day (ish) 28 years ago my dearest elder brother Christopher was born. Hooray! Hippo Birdies brother dearest, hippo birdies.

Speaking of birthdays, apparently my beloved father also has one coming up on Thursday. Hooray! I will of course be celebrating in the proper American-Missionary-in-Russia style by wandering around in the freezing cold and singing Christmas Carols with the other missionaries in my district, and maybe a few members as well, if they decide they can endure the cold (or if they decide WE can). Should be entertaining.

In any case, it's been at least a month (if not two) since I last wrote about being sick, so I thought I'd tell you about my week spent inside this week... except that for once I wasn't the one who got sick. I think the nasty bad air in Vlad and the ridiculously long time spent in the airport (due to "weather conditions", I forgot to mention last week. I'm not entirely sure where the weather conditions actually were, but apparently they were keeping everybody on the ground in the greater Primorskiy area. Go figure.) weren't the greatest combination of things for my poor junior companion. So we sat inside for a few days. She seems to have recovered now though, so we're going to go out and do amazing things this week.

I also forgot to mention last week that my Christmas package arrived right around the time that Sister Jarman did, so I picked it up on the way to Korea. Thank you! This week I figured I should probably open it and make sure that everything inside was still well and whole, so I did and discovered that apparently the Russian Postal System apparently had the same idea. They were even kind enough to unwrap the presents inside for me. Ha. At least they left me the candy. I am, however, extremely grateful for it, and just a little bit surprised that it arrived when it did. I'm not complaining though. I was expecting sometime in February.

Oh and also: Mom, can you check with the Credit Union about the limitations on my debit card? I tried using it in Korea and it got rejected multiple times. I figured out later that I didn't actually need any of the money on it, but it might be something I need to use in the near/distant future. So if you could ask them that would be just wonderful. Pleaseandthankyou.

Anyway, this week being Christmas and all (hooray!), we do get to call home. Or, okay, you get to call me on Christmas for you and Boxing Day for me. Since that happens to be a Sunday though, I can't actually promise that I'll pick up the phone if you call during the middle of church. I will, however, if you call sometime around 9AM ish my time (which works out to be... what? 4PM your time? I don't actually know on that one. In any case, sometime between the hours of 6:30AM and 9:00AM my time is basically what I'm getting at as a good time to call) and I may even talk to you for an hour or so.

But. That's all I have for you this week. It's Christmas, so go and do something nice for somebody else. Then go do something else for another somebody else. And go to the temple. Please? And then, of course, I want stories. I do love you all though, I expect you to have a wonderful week, and please to be enjoying all of the delicious Christmas-y things that you can't get here in Russia.

-Sister Read