Keith's Bag of Things

Well, Brent starts visits with Keith in just a few hours.  I can't wait to hear about how things go, get new pictures, and see some videos of my sweet boy. 

Here is his bag of stuff:

Keith's Snacks

Keith's Things for His Crib and for Brent to do with him:

Keith's Clothes, Blankets, Snacks to leave there

Brent will not be able to feed him all of those snacks, bc we don't want to make him sick.  We do however want to know how he will handle food that isn't from his orphanage.  I need to know as much as I can so that I will know what to do about feeding him for when I pick him up. 

The crib toys will all be attached to his crib before Brent leaves.  I should be able to let you know soon as to how those things work out!

The things that are to hopefully be left there for his care would be left with his "Baba".  That is a hired grandmother type person who comes to visit him several times per week as a part of some ministry that works there.  We are hopeful that she can work with him with the book with my voice, picture book, teddy bear with the family picture, etc.  We are also leaving extra diapers in hopes that she will change him more often.  :)

Just a few hours until I should have a good update!



Aleshia's Bag for Trip #1

Aleshia is a few months older than Julianne and also 5 years old.  Aleshia is not able to currently do the same things as Julianne though.  She is unresponsive and requires assistance to roll over even.  Who knows what God has in store for my beautiful girl!  Maybe it will be to show huge improvements and overcome the obstacles and rough start she has had.  Maybe it will be that God plans for us to love her and never get a response.  Either way we are going to be so blessed to have her here with us soon!

Here is her bag of things:

Aleshia's Snacks

Aleshia's Crib Toys

Aleshia's things to do that won't attach to her crib

Her bag is pretty full.  We wanted to be sure and take plenty of things that Brent can leave attached to her crib.  For a child who is not mobile in an institution, a bad is there nearly constant place to be.  We don't know about this specific institution, but we do know that with it being winter where she can't be "wheeled" outdoors, it is likely that she is spending most of her time in the crib.  We want to make it as bright and cheery as we can for her while she waits for Mommy to come for her.  The toys in her bag light up, sing, play music, vibrate, and rattle.  I'm not going to go through each one individually, because I honestly don't even know what to call some of them. 

She also has all of her snacks for the week (most likely unless Brent learns something else while he is there) in that bag.  He should have 5 morning visits with her during that week, so there are 5 containers of the fruit puree.  He should have 4 afternoon visits with her, so there are 4 package of fruit and yogurt snacks that melt in the child's mouth.  There is a fruit stick in there in case they were to say that she chews, but none of our info up until now has lead us to believe that she would chew anything.

Brent will be visiting with her the 3rd week that he is there.  I will let you know how it goes when the time finally arrives!

Anita's Bag of Things

Brent will visit with both Ahnja and Anita next week (not this coming week, but the week after).  Right now I'm waiting to hear that he landed in Rome, Italy and is going to make his next flight without issue.  I thought while I'm waiting, I would go ahead with the post of Anita's things for their visit. 

Anita is 6 years old and is very blessed to still be in the "Baby House" where she has been since she was born.  Since Brent is visiting now, it is unlikely that she will ever see the inside of an institution and for that we are very thankful to God!

Anita's Bag:

Anita's Snacks:

Anita's things that are in her bag to do.

What is in her bag:

• a magic screen writer (anxious to see what she draws, writes, or scribbles for Brent)
• doll with hair and brush (will she pretend or comb its hair?  Can't wait to find out)
• stuffed poodle that came with the doll
• 2 pair of sunglasses (you know she will love to dress up)
• 5 or 6 bracelets (more dress up)
• Chinese yo-yo
• Dora Stickers (will work good with the magic marker paper too)
• Slinky (small and so fun)
• Noise stick (everyone loves noise and it is great for cause and effect!)
• baby doll (girls love dolls!)
• light up textured ball (it bounces, lights up, and has sensory input!)
• 5 packages of toddler fruit snacks
• 2 fruiteeze packages with a fruit puree in them

Brent will of course be picking up more snacks for her to enjoy as well.  :)  There's also a gorilla that makes sounds, a toddler pretend camera, and a singamajig toy as well as the magic markers and paper for him to do with her. 

We should know next week as to how it all goes! 

Stay tuned!!!!!

Nicholas's Activity Bag

Well, if you read the previous post then you were probably expecting Nicholas to be next.  Brent won't visit him until the last week that he is there.  Nicholas is a few months younger than Ahnja, but he too is 9 years old.  From the reports we recently received we expect him to be quite a tiny guy.  He is the same height as Cody (our 5 year old here), but only 26 pounds (Cody weighs 43 pounds at that height).  My tiny little guy will be home soon though.

Here is his bag of things for Brent to do with him.

Here are the things that are in the bag for Brent to play with him with.

Here are the snacks that I have in there, plus Brent will pick up

cookies, juice boxes, crackers, etc once he gets there.

What is in Nicholas's bag:

• 2 pair of sunglasses (boys like to see themselves in those too)
• a school bus that you push forward and then the wheels make it go fast (we'll see how fast he catches on and all boys love cars and trucks, etc)
• a race car that you push forward and then the wheels make it go fast
• a ball that lights up and is a strange texture, plus it bounces (lots of sensory input on that one)
• a Chinese yo-yo
• a magic screen writer (cause and effect and maybe he'll show Brent that he knows how to write a little who knows)
• Spiderman stickers (They will work good on the magic marker paper too)
• 3 matchbox cars
• a slinky
• a sound tube (hopefully he'll be entertained and show some cause and effect thinking)
• 2 fruit chew sticks
• 3 packages of fruit snacks

Brent will be picking up more snacks (juice boxes, cookies, crackers, fruit, etc) once he is there.  We have some other things packed as well.  There is a gorilla that makes noise when you squeeze it.  There is also a camera with sounds that is great for the toddler age that might be appropriate.  There is a "Sing a ma jig" (I think that is what it is called, but it sings when you push its stomach) as well. 

Nicholas's visit isn't until the last week, so it will be a while before I can let you know how well we planned for Nicholas!

Ahnja's Activity Pack

I'm not going on trip #1 (yes, I could cry, but I am going on trip #2).  I do want to make sure that the visits with the kids goes well.  Trying to get Brent ready for a trip lasting an entire month, pack orphanage donations, and pack stuff for them to do is a BIG JOB.

I know one of the things that I have asked people and one of the questions I always have had is "what to take for them to do".  I thought I'd share our ideas with everyone, so you might have some ideas for your own journeys.  It will also let you know what Brent will be doing with the kids.  :)

I have packed each child's things for visits in a separate bag with their name on it.  The girls also have a princess purse inside the bag that I think they will enjoy.  There are other items that Brent will be using for multiple children and I'll get to those in another post.  A huge factor in all of this is space.  Imagine trying to take everything you need for a month, stuff to visit with 5 children and entertain them, and orphanage donations in the luggage that one person can handle alone!

Ahnja is our oldest over there so I thought I'd start with her. 

Here is her "bag".

Here are the snacks that I'm sending and

I've given him instructions as to what else to pick up while he is there.

Here are her activities and things that I hope please her.





It was important to get as many things as possible to keep her busy as long as possible into a very small space.  He will not be taking all of the items on the same day so that there will be "new" things each day. 

What's in the bag?

• Small soft doll (most girls love dolls)
• 2 pair of sunglasses (girls love to dress up and she is SO beautiful!)
• Princess doll with clothing (it has rubbery clothes to change into and it will give me some ideas to her ability to pretend play as well as her fine motor skills, bc those clothes aren't easy)
• 6 bracelets (back to that dress up thing!)
• a Chinese yo-yo (it is small and my kids find them amusing)
• a purple ball (it lights up, bounces, and has an interesting texture)
• a package of rings (more dress up, bc I want her to feel special)
• a package of princess silly bands (she goes to school and I'm wondering if she has seen them there, but it is back to "dress up" too)
• a slinky (fun and small)
• a noise stick (small and it makes a noise when you turn upside down)
• Dora stickers (motor skills again, plus it will help decorate paper that is in one of the other activities packed separately)
• magic write on board (small and maybe she'll show Brent some of what she learns at school)
• 2 fruity sticks
• 3 packages of fruit snacks

Brent will pick up juice boxes, fruit, crackers, and/or cookies once he is there for more snacks. 

I'll let you know on week 2 when he is visiting with her how well this "bag" goes over!