Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Welcome Bag



There's not a lot of real action to report on the adoption front, however our Dossier is in Ethiopia being translated into Amharic.  I have been working on assembling a "Welcome Bag" which is our only chance to send Mareshet a gift before I come to pick her up, hopefully in June.  I found the softest teddy bear imaginable for her.  I spent lots of time looking for just the "right" bear, a little messenger carrying the touch of a mother.  It took a lot of hugs to identify the best carrier teddy for the tenderness I want Mareshet to feel when she receives our package.  I probably looked a bit odd (or at least lonely) in the toy store, as I tried them all out!  But I'm really counting on this little guy...

I also created a T shirt for Mareshet with our picture on it.  I hope this is the only time in my life I will be compelled to make a T shirt of myself; it's quite embarrassing.  But this is what she will wear to announce that she has a family waiting for her.  As for the rest of the Welcome Bag contents, I've taken them out and put them back in so many times.  I keep changing and rearranging what I think will fit into the requisite gallon-sized Ziploc bag.  As it stands, in addition to the bear and shirt, we will also send a letter, a small photo album with pictures of N. and I, a disposable camera so the staff can get photos of Mareshet receiving her bag, a red and white striped pair of children's sunglasses, and some stickers.  I keep trying to jam in other things like a stationery set, a beaded bracelet, other small things... but in the end I have to trust that she will be most content by simply knowing we are out there.  I can't wait for her to understand how much she is wanted.  We talk about her as if she is already with us.

No comments: