Getting ready to leave to the USA for 2 weeks…

Jan 21, 2009 by pearsonsprogress    4 Comments    Posted under: Blogroll

Yep, America the beautiful. Our kids have purchased tickets for us to fly to Chicago and we’ll leave at the end of the month. Our main goal in going is to pick-up and bring back to Spain with us, our 8 year old granddaughter, Abigail. What fun we’ll have together! This is a special opportunity and one that I count as a very special gift from the Lord. In my prayers for contentment while away from our children and “grands”, the Lord has seen fit to bless in this way.

Another wonderful gift will be a weekend with our daughters. The only one who is unable to fly to Chicago will be Cheri who is awaiting their 8th child the same month we are going. I can’t wait to be with them.

John and I will also have various doctor appointments… this is the part I am NOT looking forward to, but we have learned that we have to cram as much stuff in these trips as possible.

On February 1st, we will celebrate John’s birthday and our grandson Prestons’ 6th birthday. They share this day of celebration. I was thinking about it and I don’t remember ever being in the USA for Preston’s birthday. Jesseka and I will plan a day to go shopping for their gifts which will be a fun activity too.

We will also have the opportunity to be in our girls homes too. Both Jesseka and Jerusha live in the Chicago area.

The other thing on the list will be the shopping for things to bring back to Spain. This is always time consuming but it behooves us to do for these reasons:

1. to get food and spices that are unavailable or very expensive in Spain. For example:

• chili powder for enchiladas
• vanilla for baking
• PAM for baking
• pie crusts in a box… or bring back vegetable shortening…one or the other. I was so thankful when our daughter Jesseka sent me some in Dec for pie baking!
• peanut butter
• pickling spices for making pickles
• corn syrup
• waxed paper
• canned pumpkin (for next year)
• canned cranberry sauce (for next year)

2.) to buy any needed  shoes or clothes for these reasons:

• because the EURO is more than the dollar. We will get “more bang for our buck” on anything that we buy with the cheap dollars. What I spend one dollar on in the USA, will cost me $1.50 here. Plus, inflation is higher in Europe than in the USA at this time.
• There are no petite sizes in Spain, so pants are longer, sleeves are longer, etc.
• the euro styles are less modest than I prefer.
• the Spanish wear their jeans too tight and too low for my taste. The styles are just not ‘where I’m at’.
• the clothes and especially shoes are too expensive in Spain. By law, they have only 2 sales a year: In January and in August. We are always in the village working in August and never shop.

3.) Bring things back for the church

• I have made an order that will be delivered to our daughter for the Ladies ministry.

We haven’t been to the USA since Jerusha and Nathanial’s wedding and we sure miss the family! Bobbie will fly in from Virginia, Jesseka lives in Chicago, Rebekah will fly in from North Carolina, Anita will fly from France, and Jerusha  also lives in Chicago.