It was the morning of my mom's birthday. My sister and I were still in 1st grade, but we really wanted to do something for our mom. We have saved up money my dad randomly gave away, and we came up with more than enough. We woke up early and hit the streets. We walked to two different stores and bought chocolates and a plush toy, there was something else, too. After buying those things, we went to a postal office and the lady there (it was our classmate's mom!) She was confused about what we wanted, and I was too. My sister kept mentioning how we needed something to give to our mom, some sort of an envelopes. She pulled out a money envelope and then said, "Oh! This one is for money, you probably wouldn't need that." We just looked at her like she was silly and explained that we were actually looking for that. Oh god I am not really explaining things in detail, but it was the best, most adventurous day of our childhood! --- skipping the whole borrowing bike's from our friends and going for long rides and coming back cold and muddy and with a whole lot of memories. I miss Russia, and I miss my grandparents (who passed away almost two years ago) and my aunts and cousins. They made it what it is for me now. I miss the nights spend outside, sitting by a small liquor/candy shop with our gang ( XD ), eating sunflower seeds. I miss the winter where my classmate and his dad would build the biggest snowman any 8 year old would ever see! I miss the times when it was warm, and I would wear a crop top and a pretty skirt. I also miss the times when my friends and I ate (without permission) our neighbors berries, then run like hell when she caught us. I miss the times where I would forget about everything and the next thing ya know I am foot deep in mud and I'm scared my mom won't ever let me out. I miss the times when my family and I would drive for days in summer to a different part of Russia to see my cousins. I miss the warmth against my skin and the smell-- that smell of Russia. It was careless and amazing, also beautiful, and it was home! Everything from the past is so much sweeter, and not because it was, but because you can see the bigger picture. AND THE WARMTH, it's the memory. I miss it. I miss it so much, but I love where I am now. So much was still there when I was in Russia. so much has happened now. I was just there and I blink my eyes and I am in another part of the world and turning 18. God, it's sad. Anyways, PHOTO OF MY COUSIN AND SISTER AND I.