Time to Pack

I'm realizing that it's not the actual packing that I dislike, but it's the anxiety of what "can't-live-without" item or items am I going to forget at home. That's probably why I started packing Sunday night. I need to make sure everything fits and that the suitcase is within weight limit guidelines, which, in most cases, is a HUGE irritation that I have with the airlines. The overseas flights I took last summer limited you to 45 lbs. Now, 45 lbs sounds like a lot, but that's before you take into consideration that the luggage, alone, without anything in it, can weigh 18-20 lbs. Last year I actually had to return my suitcase to Costco and buy a lighter weight one. And, even then, at LAX on the day of departure, my carry on item was 4 lbs too heavy (15 lbs weight limit) and so myself and a couple of other girls are sitting on the floor of LAX check-in, shifting items around. Thankfully, on this trip, Thai Airlines has very relaxed limits. We can actually check in two bags at 70 lbs a piece and take a carry on plus my purse. That may actually be too relaxed for someone like me because, then I feel like I really should take enough stuff to get close to that 70lbs limit. And, really, I'm a girl... that's not hard to do :-) Here you can see me with the fun job of packing all of my shampoos/conditioner/toothpaste etc. in those glad ziploc bags...



Now onto the fun items... I get to take one whole suitcase full of toys/donated items. These will be going to the Mercy House orphanage and to the Slum Ministry.





And, even better, the Quilting Ministry at Saddleback Church donated about 20 homemade quilts for us to give to the kids. Here are a few pictures of them:











This is the backside of one of the quilts and I had to take a picture of it because one of the ministries we'll be working with in Bangkok is Night Light Ministries, so this is very appropriate :-)



If you'd like to read more about the Night Light Ministry, here is a link to their website ----------> http://www.nightlightbangkok.com/

They employ girls who have been rescued from sex-slave trafficking. They teach them skills on making jewelry and they sell it on this site to raise funds to further their ministry. I think that their name, Night Light, is so appropriate as they really do create light, in the form of hope, in such a dark place.