Care Package #5 - Birthday Gifts

Another care package down, and tons of great stuff headed over to Benjamin for his first birthday on September 9th!  Had so much room let over once I put in all the items shown in the picture, I was able to add in a few essentials...Desitin, lotion, and wash.  Room left over, so glad I've got extra stuff laying around to fill us the spaces easily.  Every parent sending care packages motto should be "No room left behind!"

• Birthday card from us
• Magnetic photo of us
• Photo collage of jungle gym
• 2 Wheel Pals toys
• Click & Giggle Remote
• 3 shirts, 2 pants, and 3 pair socks
• 2 spoons & forks
• Sippy cup
• Toothbrush & toothpaste
• Birthday card from Grandma & Grandpa
• Book - Good Night Moon (Korean edition) from Grandma & Grandpa
• J & J lavender lotion and wash
• Desitin

September Care Package - 1 Year

Gifts all wrapped up and ready to go!

My favorite item we included was a birthday card-booklet that has a few questions listed in it to capture Benjamin's "firsts."  So in our letter to his Foster Mother, I had the card translated and asked her to write the answers on the card and keep it for us.  I really hope she is able to do this for us and we receive it back when we travel : )

First Year Memories: Your favorite food. Your favorite storybook. Your favorite toy. How we celebrated your birthday. Guests who helped celebrate. Inside the back pocket, there is room to store treasures like a lock of hair or blanket scrap, and a newspaper clipping about events of the day.

Grandma and Grandpa also sent a card they had customized with Korean writing and a beautiful cover showcasing the traditional Korean dress...Hanbok.  These garments are worn during celebrations and festivals, including the first birthday.  We are hopeful we may even receive some pictures of Benjamin in a Hanbok. 

Always A Work in Progress

So we didn't receive an update or pictures of Benjamin in July...sigh.  But where did July go?!?  Seems we've kept very busy during the past month without even realizing it.  A few of the highlights include....

 
Jungle Gym
The jungle gym Fred started back at the beginning of July is just about done.  What a great first birthday gift this will be...well at least for our neighbor boys to enjoy for the time being.  I just put together a little collage of pictures, sent it off to Walgreens, and will place it in our care package.  What a super surprise to see he'll have his own playground in his backyard!

 
 
 
 

Benjamin's Room
Though I painted a dresser and toy chest at the start of July, not much else has been accomplished on the room front.  Still on the look out for the perfect drawer handles.  Also need to get some frames for the Eric Carle prints, find us some bedding, and build a wall of book racks.  Sounds like some great fall projects and shopping are in store!! I would like the room close to complete by end of the year so we can send some pictures of it Benjamin for Christmas.


Letters to South Korea
I decided to create a book for Benjamin using all the letters we're writing as we send care packages.  Many of these letters are to the Foster Mother as well I've started including short letters to him.  Though he can't read, we hope his Foster Mother is reading them to him.  In the book, I'm including both the English version and Korean translation as well as a few pictures of the care package.  I look forward to someday when we can read this book with him and share these moments in time during our wait.  I also thought this book might be a nice gift for the Foster Mother when we travel to pick him up?  If you're wondering, I found this great online application (Blurb) that helps you create a book.  It's definitely a work in progress and something to look forward to adding to each month.


Countdown Chain
Speaking of passing the time, I've also been inspired to create a countdown chain.  We're not really sure when we'll travel next year yet, but hoping worst case scenario is a 1 year wait from our referral (May 9, 2012).  Therefore, my countdown gets us through the end of April.  Surely we'll take a travel call sooner, but really don't want to hear it's later!!  So my little countdown chain runs 40 Fridays starting August 3 and ending with the last link on April 26.  Get to tear off my first link tomorrow : )