Jeyson, Stephanie, Elijah, & Audrey

Jeyson, Stephanie, Elijah, & Audrey

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Scrapbook Backpack

As I mentioned in our newsletter, Elijah has been wearing this Curious George backpack everywhere since we arrived in the US.  It actually has settled down a bit recently since we have been spending the month at my sister's house, but at the beginning of our travels it was literally nonstop.  He even wanted to wear it when he was in his carseat in the car.  When we spent the weekend at the Christian conference center, Keswick, he wore it every single moment...while making crafts in the children's program, while eating in the dining room, while presenting on stage even!  Even now, though he takes it off at home, he still brings it with him into every home we visit or at the very least has it in the car!
So, what's up with the backpack?  As I shared in the newsletter, it clearly has a lot to do with bringing him stability in these months of nonstop change.  When we were home in Brazil, we told him he could pack it with a few of his favorite things and so it makes sense that he would carry those items around to make him feel secure in the midst of every changing circumstances and places we have faced.  But the backpack story has gotten even more fun recently.  

As I was going through some things we've accumulated, I took a minute to open up his backpack to organize it.  Something I haven't done since we first packed it leaving Brazil.  What I found inside took me completely by surprise, yet at the same time it make perfect sense.  

Inside the backpack was not just the items packed from Brazil, but little souvenirs that Elijah has added each stop we have made along the way.

- A shell from the Jamestown River where we spent the day with his cousin
- A sticker book from a garage sale we went to
- A craft from a children's program
- A colored pencil from our flight on Southwest
- A lego from his cousin's house
- A bracelet from camp
- A monster truck from a happy meal we got in McDonald's the day we broke down and spent 4 hours in the play zone

And much more.  Each item had a story and was a little reminder of the stops we have made along the way from a kid's perspective.  Now suddenly it also made sense why the other day when we were eating pita chips with my sister, he asked me if we could wrap up the leftover chips in the bottom of the basket in a napkin to take to Brazil...in his backpack I'm now assuming!  

What a fun scrapbook of furlough adventures he's been carrying around!  No wonder he doesn't want to put it down!!

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