Christmas list

Ok. Christmas is coming. I know it's almost 2 months away (Michelle), but there's a point here.
I love Christmas. I love the beautiful story of Christ's birth. I love meaningful gift-giving. I love spending time with friends and family.
The part I am having trouble with this year is the gift giving. Actually, the receiving. I hate getting money as a gift and I refuse to give money as a Christmas gift. Gift-giving should be about expressing your caring for another person, saying 'here, I got you this ______ because I thought you would love it, or need it, or it made me think of you in a special way.' Money does none of those things (for me, anyway).
Several people have been asking us what we (Matt and I) want for Christmas this year.
I'm never good at making a Christmas list anyway, but this year is especially hard. I am having a hard time accepting the idea of getting all of the presents that we normally receive. Of course, it's fun to get presents, and of course we appreciate everything our family and friends get for us. This year, though, the thought of opening 15 new sweaters, a toaster or the latest scent from Bath and Body just seems silly. We have been so focused on getting Eliana home and providing for her, that it feels strange to imagine US being showered with gifts that we probably do not need. When I think about what I might want for Christmas, all I can think is 'Eliana,' of course.
Because I think of gift-giving as a way to show you care, I am having a hard time placing limits when our moms ask what we want for Christmas. On the one hand, of course they can buy us whatever they want and we will love it, love that they want us to feel special when we use our new toaster. On the other hand, when I consider buying ANYTHING these days, I can't help but think "that $20 could go towards airline tickets, or to the adoption agency, or pay the water bill while I'm off work for 6 weeks."
So, I thought that we should construct a Christmas list of things we need and that would be helpful to us at this time. If our family chooses not to use this, we understand that old habits die hard and sometimes a mom just has to buy her daughter 15 new sweaters. If they do choose to look at this, we hope they find it to be helpful and not at all bossy, presumptuous or un-Christmaslike.

OUR CHRISTMAS LIST
Donated Frequent Flyer Miles for Continental,
Donated Marriott Reward Points
Marriott gift cards
Guatadopt 2007 Calendar (www.guatadopt.com)
Books (Some of these are for us, some for Eliana. Many can be found on Ebay and Amazon. Used is great):
The Most Beautiful Place in the World by Ann Cameron
The Corn Grows Ripe by Dorothy Rhoads
Abuela's Weave by Omar S. Castaneda
Mario's Mayan Journey by Michelle McCunney
Guatemala ABC's: A Book About The People and Places of Guatemala by Marcie Aboff
Mama and Papa Have a Store by Amelia Lau Carling
Six Months in the Same Boots by Claire Boggs
Poor Marta by Claire Boggs
Guatemala is My Home: A My Home Country Series book by Patricia Lantier- Sampon
Sawdust Carpets by Amelia Laua Carling
Secrets in Stone: All About Maya Hieroglyphs by Laurie Coulter
A Life of Their Own : An Indian Family in Latin America by Aylette Jenness and Lisa Kroeber
El Popol Vuh
Maya Saints and Souls in a Changing World. Watanabe, John W.
My Pig Amarillo by Satomi Ichikawa
Hands of the Maya: Villagers at Work and Play by Rachel Crandell
A Mother for Choco Keiko Kasza
Guatemalan Journey Stephen Connely Benz
It's Okay to Be Different Todd Parr
Out of the Dump (www.fotokids.org)
Seeds of Love Mary E. Petertyl
The Colors of Us Karen Katz
The Hummingbird King Argentina Palacios
A Love Like No Other:Stories from Adoptive Parents by P Kruger and J Smolowe
Gift Certificates for the scrubs store (preferably the one in Bpt)
One of those clear plastic things that you put under your desk chair so you don't ruin your wood floor (not the kind with pokey things for carpets)
An electric heater for the bedroom
Money, though I cringe to say it, towards our trips or adoption expenses

This is all we can think of right now.

Thanks for your love, help, and support!