Missionary Monday

I really love Mondays.  It's my favorite morning of the week.

I have discovered that if I wake up at 4am, I can sometimes catch Hannah online in Denmark.  I'm pretty sure that she's not really supposed to "chat" online (with hot babes), but once in a while I have a question to ask her, and it is so great to be able to "hear" her voice online.

Today I needed to ask her a question about Christmas, and we were able to "talk" a little about what she needs and what I should or should not send.  It was such a fun way to start my day.

She mentioned that Danes all hold hands around their Christmas Tree on Christmas morning and sing a song.  That made me get all choked up for some reason!

As I was reading her main letter, I started laughing (silently) in bed.  I was trying not to wake up Nathan!  But he rolled over and asked "Are you okay, what's wrong?!?"  He thought I was crying!  Nope - just cracking up over Hannah's adventures in Denmark!

I love those Monday letters!  And I just want to talk about her all day...

Sooooo, later this morning, I was jogging with my friend, and she asked what I was sending to my missionary.  Her son will be missionary aged this summer, and she was looking for ideas... (a willing victim!  I got to talk about Søster Barrett nonstop during our whole morning run!)

Anyway, I know I am always looking for missionary package ideas, so I thought I'd post up some if my ideas here!

I am sending 3 packages this month.  I was trying to make sure that she gets one package in early December, one mid month, and one just before Christmas.  Timing is tricky, though.  Packages take about a week to get to Denmark, but they are delivered to the mission home, and then dispersed throughout the mission at zone conferences... So I don't know when she'll get these, but I hope they arrive before Julemand (Santa)!

The first package I sent had a simple advent banner, and a pair of shoes.  The kids helped me make a cute simple Christmas Countdown banner.  But I didn't take a picture...(sorry!)  it looks something like this... but the envelopes were made from all different Christmas paper... and we attached them with the cutest little clothes pins... and we just made one long banner... okay, it looks nothing like this,....

We made our own little paper envelopes, and put a number on each one.  We used a label maker, because we are cool.  Inside of each envelope, we put a candy cane and a small piece of paper.  One one side of the paper we put a scripture reference (using the label maker again - Emily loves that thing!)  and on the other side of the paper, one of us wrote a note.  We each wrote about 5 little notes - maybe a favorite Christmas memory, or maybe a list of what we want for Christmas (John), or a little something about the scripture reference on the other side of the paper, or just a hello!  So each day she should be able to look up a Christmas scripture and read a little note from home.

The shoes are just a pair of black flats.  I'm not sure if they celebrate St. Nicholas Day in Denmark, but I thought it might be fun to send shoes, because she's a girl and shoes are good!  We filled the shoes with candy.  I put candy coins, and a chocolate orange in the shoe box.

I hope she get's that package sometime this week... or if not, at least some time in early December!

The second package that we sent was a Grinch Package! 

 We printed up some grinch pictures and filled a box with green things, just for fun - some stuff she asked for (lotion and deodorant), other stuff she might need (razors) and basically anything I could find in green.

 A green scarf,
green gloves,
socks,
notes,
green razors, etc.
Nothing
  very
     serious
       in
         this
           box,
             just
               fun!

And today I am getting the last box ready to go:  We are sending a stocking for her and her companion.  And Christmas PJ's.  I filled the stockings with the usual things we do here - toothpaste and a toothbrush, small lotion, hair pins, candy, small journal, etc.  I am not sending a big gift, though I do plan to put a little money in her bank account so she can buy a new skirt, or something that she needs.

Any other ideas?  Did I forget something?

I haven't even baked my Thanksgiving pies, yet, but it feels great to be mostly "done" with Christmas for our missionary!