What do you take back to the Sahel?

Partial answer:  Everything you can.  The last week before returning to the Sahel can get crazy, even if we have been preparing for it for a long time.  In addition to last bits of time with family and friends, there are packing stresses.  For example, as soon as my suitcases were unpacked, I started packing one with things that were to travel back (mostly gifts) and I started buying and putting things aside upon arriving in the US. 

Now I am going to say this, but also take it with a grain of salt because if something is forgotten, it is forgotten and we go without it.  But as we return, I try to think of Halloween, Advent, Christmas, birthdays, Lent, Easter to figure out if there is something important to our family to

bring along for any of those holidays.  The first year we didn’t do any of this, as we were just trying to get the basic things in.  But this year I bought many Christmas and birthday presents ahead for the children, and even small gifts from the dollar store the children can buy off me to give to their

siblings.  This year I also decided to bring wrapping paper after having my children open presents out of plastic bags last year.  We are bringing back Advent candles after making construction paper candles for the past two years.  I also found that we enjoy making simple ginger cookies at Christmas, so I brought back molasses!  We also brought back dress up outfits as toys, in addition to having something special for Halloween.  

Except for men's deodorant, we aren't picky on toiletries, but we stock up on a lot of things for the year.  Examples of our list:  bandaids, neosporin, sudaphed, dental floss, toothbrushes, tylenol, ibuprophen, deodorant, etc., etc.  We stock up on school supplies:  pencils, water paints, envelops, paper, and our curriculums probably take up one suitcase and more than 50 lbs.  We stock up on fix it items like sand paper, electrical tape, and most important duct tape!

 In addition we attempt to buy and pack every child in the next size of clothing, although this may be the hardest area to be successful.  Finally, gifts for our neighbors and friends are a very important must.  We pack any special food, like cranberry sauce, baking soda, cocoa powder, soy sauce, many spices, maple flavoring to make our maple syrup, brown sugar, and of course a few boxes of graham crackers.  A lot of this is a guessing game of how much of what we will use and some of it can't be enough.  Don't feel too badly for us, we have had grandparents visiting each Christmas to restock our supplies!

Then there are things that are just better from the US.  This year we have a lot of sheets to replace ones we have already worn through, a car tire cover for the back of our rav4 that a mouse nested in and our dog ruined trying to get that mouse, and a few organizational things that pack easily in a suitcase.   Finally, we are also carrying a suitcase of dresses that a church gave to us to hand out to the girls at the Bible School.

This time all of this comes together to equal 7 checked suitcases, 2 big backpack carry-ons and 3 small carry-ons.  Already, we realize we should have done a few things differently.  But we are so grateful to have such a supportive family who made all this packing possible!  

Sorry, no pictures as our internet is far too slow!