What Do I Miss???

Whenever I come back to the U.S. the question I get asked the most is " What do you miss the most?" Besides the very obvious answers of my dear family and friends ( and a quarter pounder with cheese from Mc Donald's...I know that is bad...but I really do miss that), I would have to say that I miss..................shopping. Now, you can definitely shop in Lagos, and it is fun if you are in the mood to barter and dig and go to multiple stores to even try to remotely find something that resembles what you wanted in the first place and usually you end up with something totally different than what you had in mind.....but it is still a treasure. That is exciting. But, I have to tell you that many times I yearn for a clean store that has the same things on the shelves every time you go in. You don't feel like you have to buy 50 of something just because the store has it that week. One of the many things ( besides doctor's appointments and haircuts/colors) that is on my list to do when i come back home is to get things I need to bring back that I can't find readily in Lagos. As soon as I get back from one home trip, I have a post -it next to the phone in my flat ready to be filled up with things I need to bring back from my next home trip. Luckily, I love to go shopping in the U.S. I especially love Target. I am not kidding when I say that sometimes, when I walk into Target, I get tears in my eyes that it is so clean, well lit , and has fully stocked shelves . The added plus is that the people working there are really there to help you!!! So, here are some pictures of all the loot I have bought to take back to Lagos....

I just have to make sure it fits into five suitcases that weigh no more than 50 pounds each. That is the one drawback to all the shopping I get to do when I come back to the U.S. I absolutely hate to pack and weigh and rearrange the stuff I bought to take back to Lagos. Many times, I get a little too shopping happy...and I have to leave some of my treasures behind ( thank you mom and dad for letting me use your closet for storage). I think I have all the Valentine's for Jeremy's class, extra party things for Elizabeth's birthday party in March, Sunday school supplies,miscelleous birthday presents for birthday parties,etc. I don't go anywhere anymore without my scale......it is light weight and it hasn't let me down yet ( this is the only scale I really like) ....I haven't had to pay for an overweight bag to back to Lagos yet (overweight bags for international flights are around $200 each). So, now I am off to start weighing my things....I have to start early to see if I have room to cram anything else in my suitcases.:)