I Win!

I am officially declaring victory over the Mongolian winter! Winter is over and I survived. Temperatures are now averaging in the middle 30s F as the high and above 0 F at night. I no longer wear a hat when I go outside (though I'm still wearing a scarf and my heavy coat), the ice and snow are melting, and the air is getting cleaner. On a hike up a hill on Saturday (ward activity that I'll post about later) I actually took my coat off after getting to the summit because I was too hot. Winter, I declare you conquered!!!

That is actual running water that you see on the right hand side of this very shallow river.

 In a slightly related note, I feel happy to announce that I am out of the funk that I was in the past couple of weeks from being sick and injured. Thanks to an email exchange with a friend, receiving a package from my sister, and listening to Ke$ha for a couple of hours on Thursday (and trying really hard NOT to dance my way home on the streets of UB) I am feeling much better and am no longer annoyed about being in Mongolia. I win again.

This is my cheesy pose attempting to demonstrate my victory over winter as I stand atop a hill without wearing a coat. Yea me!