Being "less" busy.

So it's true that here in Romania I am less busy than in America. Well, I take that back. I am a completely different kind of busy. A refreshing, motivating, rejuvenating kind of busy. And who doesn't like that?
Today I will go to elderly club and enjoy a beautiful, bright, and sunny morning there. Then the process of cooking Monday night dinner will begin. Every Monday night I have dinner at Dorothy's house with the students, a peace corp worker, and any other volunteers in town that week. The students are obligated to cook at least once a semester for the group. I've cooked twice already, but I have so much fun each time that I'm back up to bat today. Also, you sign up with a "partner" and Maggie is mine for the night. We are so excited to cook together! We're having stir fry, rice, spinach salad, and a white coconut cake for dessert. Yum, yum, yum. Right after elderly club my day will be devoted to that. We'll go shopping at the open air market and then to several side shops in order to find all we need. We'll take our time and make sure to get everything because there aren't any stores up in the citadel and if we forget something it's a 15 minute walk to the nearest alimentare (store). After getting all we need we'll haul it all to Dorothy's house and begin to cook! We'll just prepare and cook all afternoon until it's time for cultural class at 5. Then at 6 we'll sit down and enjoy fellowship over a great meal with some wonderful people.
This will be the last Monday night dinner with the students. Which I can't believe. How has it been a semester already? Have these girls really been here as long as the last group was? It feels shorter.
It means my departure is not far off. How can that be true?
Tomorrow is no exception to the "different busy" rule. I will rise a little earlier than normal and start to clean. A tradition in Romania is to clean, clean, clean before Easter day. It's basically Spring cleaning, but everyone does it. Yesterday I was informed by Tati that by no means was I "let off the hook" of this cleaning experience just because I am American. I must clean before I leave for Budapest on Tuesday in order to have an orderly room on Easter weekend. He let me know right where the vacuum would be and told me that Tuesday morning was the perfect opportunity for me to get the work done. I laughed and thought to myself that it's good someone is telling me that it's time I organize myself and giving me a specific time because otherwise it would most likely be left undone. And he is right, I'm no exception. I'm actually looking forward to doing that and having a sparkling space. It will be nice.
After cleaning there is elderly club and hopefully I will make it there to see them one last time before Easter break next week. At 2ish I'll head out to Tsigmadru with Nelutu, Maggie, and probably Sandor (a new student in town) for kid's club and teens. Following that, I'll come home to pack quickly for the trip and then board a train at 11:30 at night and head for Budapest, Hungary. Taking the night train, I'll end up in Budapest early Wednesday morning and make my way to the airport to greet my parents and aunt n' uncle.
Reality hasn't sunk in yet (it's 48 hours away!), but I am SO excited.
Please be praying for safe travels and an encouraging time with one another. Also, just that plans would fall into place and run smoothly, seamlessly while they're here.
Thinking about "lasts" with the students and this short time with my parents has begun to stir up strong feelings about coming near to "the end". And working through that will be a challenge over the next couple of weeks, so please pray for that as well.
As always, I thank you over and over for being so very supportive and loving.