The excitement of the week…

We got packages!!

A huge, “Thank you!” to our friend Rhonda and her family who made a pile of the boxes in her foyer for a few weeks in advance of our arrival and for lending us her address.

One of the great joys of traveling is the rare occurrence of an opportunity to get packages from home. There is nothing for pure joy like taking things out of a box that loving hands have placed inside over half a world away.

Wanna see what we got?

From Grammy:

I couldn’t help getting a little teary reading the note she sent along with the goodies. I have the best mama in the world and I miss her bunches.

From Lee:

One of my oldest and dearest friends, in Canada sent a whole box of treasures, including chocolate chips and maple syrup! The treats are for the family, but the tea is just for me. It’s my favourite tea and can only be had in Canada. The dried blueberries are pretty much only for me too! 🙂

From the Woods:

… whoops… I forgot to take a picture!!!! The kids were so excited about their letters from their friends, the funny picture the four year old drew for us, and their new gloves that will work with their ipods that we overlooked the picture!!

Within minutes they were begging for the homemade candies that we sorely missed over Christmas in Borneo (they’re an annual tradition.) We decided they taste just as good in March as they would have in December. The ones specially made with their homemade maple syrup are out of this world. Lois also knows that this mama runs on tea. She sent my favourite American brand!

From my Secret Sister:

So, I belong to this group on FB of mamas with more kids than sense (maybe we should change the name of the group to that!) And we do a secret sister exchange a couple of times a year. I have no idea who the lovely lady is who sent me a whole package of my favourite American tea half way around the world, but I’m so, so thankful! Talk about a treat, presents from a total stranger!

From Jen:

This was an unexpected, but delightful gift. When I thanked her she said, “Well, I thought you might not have been getting your quota of good chocolate in Asia!” Indeed. So thoughtful!

Our little camper is chock-full of delightful and yummy reminders of how much we are loved and my tea stash is officially replenished for the coming months. The children are keen to use the Valentine napkins that Grammy sent and dive into the special hot chocolates from “Mr. Lee.” I’m snagging one of the mint ones though!
After all of this time on the road, when we’re at our very farthest from home, it’s like a warm hug on a winter’s night to get boxes full of love from so far away.

Thanks so much to all of you… there’s no way to express how much it means, but if you’ve been away from loved ones a while, perhaps you already know.