Shopping!! and the US NVC letter!!

Today I went shopping!  WHEW!!   And I did not buy one thing for myself - typical! (that was my conscience chiming in!)   I went to the Mall here with my handy itinerary of what I needed to look for.  I was looking for certain gifts to give to some very special people when we travel to Korea!   Since I'm budgeting,  I had to stop before I completely finished - it's okay,  I'll finish the next go round! (conscience again)   Here's a look at what I've got so far!

I bought two Ambercrombie shirts (on sale of course) for the Foster Girls, ages 17 and 15, and two pair each of the 'stay at home' socks - (they are soooo soft!), a map of the US, and  two lip glosses each.   I'm also going to buy them some candy.  Saw some great things at Cracker Barrel (all made in the USA, some even made in Tennessee!)  That should  finish up their gifts!

For the Foster Mother, I bought her some Centrum vitamins and found a great Clinique gift set at Macy's (also got a different  Clinique gift set  free  for buying the one!)  You know how they throw in another just for buying the one - great deal! For the Foster Father,  I also bought him some Centrum vitamins, and found two really nice ties.  I'd read that  the Foster Father was an 'office worker', hence the reason for the ties.  One is a Van Heusen tie, clearanced for around $7, and the other one was a Calvin Klein clearanced for $15!

When I was researching  what to buy for all these people, I found many suggestions on the Korean Forum - thank goodness!  Most of these items I bought were  suggested as good gifts for the Foster Family.  One thing that was mentioned was to buy things Made In The USA or from our state where  we live.  I'm also going to give out boxes of Goo Goo candies, they are made here in Nashville, Tn.   Do you see the Moon Pies in the picture?  Well, they are made in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Those will be part of the gifts I give our drivers, tour guide, Holt workers, etc. (My budget ran out, so I'll get the rest of theirs later.)   Cracker Barrel has a lot of candy items that were made in the USA and lots were even made in Tennessee!  Gotta get those girls some of our good  Tennessee candy! :-o

I know you're probably thinking,  Vitamins?!?  It was a suggestion for the Foster Parents.   I had heard that  their vitamins are really expensive in Korea.  So giving vitamins as a gift shows that you care about them and their health.  The last thing on the table in the picture is Gerber's rice cereal.  These are going to be donated to  the Holt office when we travel there.  I plan to get more, like I said my budget ran out..... This is the explanation under donations on the Korean Forum why rice cereal is  needed for Korean babies:    There are a lot of premature babies in care. These babies cannot tolerate the multigrain cereal that is available here, and single grain rice cereal is not available.  Also heard that their rice cereal is expensive in Korea.  Really?  Sounds contradictory, but  just goes to show you how different cultures can be.

So.....I still have to buy for the Doctors at the Holt office in Korea, nurses, and  the Social Worker.  I hope that's all.  If I've forgotten someone, Forum ladies, please chime in and tell me!

NOW......for some good news!  I received a letter in the mail today, dated Oct 5 2010,  from the United States Department of State, National Visa Center in New Hampshire!  The letter states that they recently received our approved Form I600 and our petition will be forwarded to the appropriate visa-issuing post where the adoption interview will take place.  This is the beginning of the end process, where there's a hand full of requirements Aiden has to have before we get our Travel Call - TC!!  All these hand full of requirements don't add up to a hill of beans unless he gets his Emigration Permit, the document that says he can leave South Korea this year (see earlier post)!!  I'm on pins and needles waiting for that!!  Till then......still waiting.....