Wrote the biggest cheque of my life on Wednesday!

On Wednesday I express mailed my contract, registration forms and cheques to the agency in Ontario.  I have never written a cheque for this large an amount of money!   In case you are wondering, I rent my apartment so have never moved this amount of money around before. When I checkeded at the bank, I was told a personal cheque for that amount is fine, people write personal cheques for larger amounts than that all the time!   Wow!  I wish I could!

 I am 100% committed to my country and at some point facing the first of two or more trips.  My dossier has to go to my country and be accepted before I can travel.  I wish I had a travel partner but will likely have to make the trip alone.   I am willing to pay air fare and accomodation so my friends following this, if you, or any of your other friends are interested please let me know.   I won't know the exact dates until I have had contact with the agent on the ground.  Even though I have been told they have very few young children in the orphanages, I kept the upper age of my daughter (I have requested a little girl) at 3 1/2 years.  This means she will likely be 4 1/2 when I get to bring her home.  I would like to have some formative years with her.  It is a very complicated process and I will post more about it as I am told I am able to.

I am thinking about taking a little something to each orphanage, kind of a thank you for letting me visit.  I thought perhaps a large ziploc freezer bag of goodies to each one as I can't afford more on top of air fare, accomodation, meals and personal leave - no pay, but something that maybe the children can have fun with.  My freezer bag so far I estimate to be around $25 and I think there are 17-19 orphanages on my list!   I hate to ask for help and never thought I would stoop to that, but if you would like to help me make these bags up, I would be very grateful.  The cost of shots has been significant and I in the last few months I have had an unfortunate experience with new glasses that didn't work and require a second pair of lenses!  The new optometrist in Victoria is very helpful.  The gal here, I will never set foot in her office again!

One of the items I have found are those inflatable sticks you bang together (boomwhackers?) at one of my local dollar stores.  There are four sticks in a bag for $1.00.  I bought two packages, one to see how they packed in the freezer bag and the other to test out!   They may not last long but will be fun and remind everybody I am Canadian.  I have been told that as a visible minority in the country I will be travelling to, it will be assumed I am from the USA.   No offense my US friends and family, but I was born in the UK  and don't think I sound the least bit American.  Although I have to wonder because when in the Olympic 2012 shop last summer in John Lewis (a UK department store) on Oxford Street (London), the young guy behind the till thought I was American!   He was tied for words when I said no, I was actually born and mostly raised in the UK!

I will post more about the contents of the bag latter this week.  It was fun but challenging to think of what to take, considering weight, size, the kids needing to share the stuff and something different.  I did find some little tiny frizbees and boomerangs that are very cute.  I also have a beach ball following a recommendation on another blog.

I have a Chinese Skipping rope, the long elastic two people stand in and one person jumps over.  If you know of any rhymes or chants please let me know.  I found one or two on line last night but would love to know some to show the children.

 If you have an ideas for things to take, please leave me a comment.  I am avoiding candy and gum and am looking for things the children can do together.