Noble Packages Family #1 - Update

On Saturday we were able to go to the family who has the son who has Down’s Syndrome when they opened their presents. Let me share that experience with you a bit.

We took the presents in the morning but they stayed in the school gymnasium all day long. They then took them over to that family later that day when we could go. The volunteers were also there and they also had to go to each of their “families” as they opened their presents. In order for us to be there, the volunteers had to get permission from the families for us to be there.

Our presents went from line to line on the floor. We took the presents to the gymnasium in the morning and they were delivered that afternoon to the family

Anyway, to get to the point, here are the photos of the presents and packing up the presents.

Here is what it looked like in our house.

One of the things they had needed was a new bed for the boy. I had ordered the exact one they asked for and it was delivered to our house a while ago - around Thanksgiving. We had kept it in my husband’s garage area in the ensuing weeks. It had come from the Czech Republic. The price was about the same as the ones found here, though. Apparently this was the exact match to the room and the style the mom wanted.

In the afternoon we drove to their house. A delivery van was there shortly after we arrived with the presents.

Once it was delivered to their home, - it was the first thing they put together.

This kind of bed serves as a couch or a bed. It flattens out into a bed with just a flip of a lever. You can see the gray bed matches the walls of the room.

Once the bed was put together, everyone came down to the living room/dining room and they opened presents.

The types of things we gave them were a LOT of clothing for the boy - wearing a size M adult men’s and a few specific things the others asked for. We also gave them a ton of coal. Other things I gave them were some gift certificates for shoes for the dad and his son, new duvets and duvet covers, each received a charity quilt, and the boy received Duplos, and lots of clothes as they said he is like a small boy and goes through his clothes because he gets them so dirty so quickly and they get washed a lot! So, I (we) bought him several pairs of sweat pants as he had to have elastic waists - with a drawstring - because he wears an insulin pump and even more shirts - sweat shirts, t shirts, etc. We also go them gluten-free food items.

Here are some close ups.

I did find out that this couple has four children - the son who has Down’s Syndrome is actually a fraternal twin! His twin is a girl - and she doesn’t live at home. The other two older children are brothers as well.

We gave them a ton of coal.

The mom in this family is a nurse - but here in Poland, unlike the US, being a nurse is not a high paying job. The dad runs the son back and forth to school day in and day out - travelling many many hours every day as it is a long distance to get him to the school that is appropriate for him (he’s 20).

We finished in the early evening and then came on home! It was dark before we started - but probably got home about 7 pm. This family lives about 25 min. from our house - farther south of us.

Anyway, I was exhausted at the end of this. I had no idea it was that hard to watch someone open presents I had worked so hard to find “just the right thing!”. While I enjoyed it, I also like just leaving them and just imagining how they react.

I’m not so sure I actually get enough thrill out of it so that I want to sit and watch others open presents. It’s hard to know. The parents said they didn’t know how to say thanks. The dad especially had not wanted to be a participant - he wanted to just keep barely getting by. They are definitely a family who will be careful with everything they get! We did give them a gift card for a gas station (about $125) for fuel and he was very grateful. I told him that my husband thought of that one. (It’s currently $5.51/gallon here.) Otherwise, I told him, “We don’t expect anything - a thank you is fine!” All the hoopla and thanking us with so much more stuff makes me uncomfortable.

Oh…and as I told you I would, I was able to take all that “stuff” I had been given by the Noble Packages organization as a thank you (except for the little trees and hand made cards) and gave it all to a lady who is making up gift baskets for poor Polish people who don’t have any way of making their Christmas eve dinner.

I added 5 packages of gingerbread cookies (coated in milk chocolate) - cost me $1.25 a package. I figure this way I’ve provided 5 centerpieces and some decorations for 5 tables and some sweets for 5 families or people. I was able to move all the stuff out of my house and find a home elsewhere. That made me very happy. If someone from Noble Packages knows English well enough and reads this, well, hopefully they will understand. I really do struggle with “too much stuff” in my house. I got pictures - and I have heard that’s the best way to keep the memories alive when you struggle with clutter.

I hope this explanation helps you also get the joy of giving to a needy family who will indeed take care of their things. Thanks so much for participating this year - those of you who helped with finances!

Have a great day wherever you are reading this! Thanks for coming along with me on my quilting/sewing journey!

Becky Petersen2 Comments