perhaps find a really pretty golden star ornament and tie a royal blue satin ribbon for it to hang from? you ought to be able to find something at this time of year! good luck.

In response to the accountant remark, its not the IRS, its the state and not an income tax audit. I have paid a CPA $11k to do a forensic audit on me and according to them the state owes me $4k. This state is going after anything they can get so they won't have a shortfall. They hired 49 new auditors for this. It was a sales tax audit. I was told 20 years ago not to tax on vehicles by the DMV because I an not a dealer. They were wrong. I have to pay the sales tax on all the cars I have sold through my business. I have 11 people I know going through the same thing. The reason it has taken 3 years is they kept asking for extensions because they are short handed. So thanks but no thanks for your smart a$s comments, you have no clue what you are talking about.

Not knowing her age, country of origin, or tastes, it becomes difficult to suggest things. I'm thinking that something Americana that would not be available in her country, or maybe something to remind her of her visit to this country. An 'el cheapo' would be a wall calendar with American scenes or early day farm equipment. If you have a good photographer in your family, make well done prints of items such as covered bridges, light houses, water mills, and log houses. You could make photos of historical artifacts such as the Wright Brother's airplane. A replica is in the musuem at Kitty Hawk. Also there is the sewing machine used to fabricate the cloth panels. If her country made a contribution to the early formation of this country, photograph items associated with that event. Some of the monuments are not well known and pretty mcuh forgotten by our general public. For example, if your student was German, you might photograph the monument to Baron DeKalb and include a short history of his contribution during the Revolutionary war. Look him up in the World Book Encyclopedia. It will tell you about Baron DeKalb and where his monument is located. Also note that DeKalb, IL is named after this man. If your student was French, photogaph items asociated with Laffette. Laffette spent the winter with George Washington at Valley Forge. There are a number of places in the US that carry a French name. Laffette, IN is one of those; Fort Sackville, now Vincennes, IN, is another, and of course, there is New Orleans. In 1884, the French people presented the Statue of Liberty to the New United States.

Is there a family heirloom or just a possession that has been a favorite of hers? A pitcher, a platter, a set of dishes, a rug, a special chair?