selecting multiple elements

I am working with an XML file similar to the one below, consisting of
many transactions.  I'm trying to extract the items that each customer
has bought, and generate an email which includes all these items
within the body of the mail.

The email is working, however, I can only send 4 separate emails (one
for each item) with the item in the body.

java function for email is like this:
send(string to, string from, string subject, string msg)

Right now its just passing in the item into the $msg variable one at a
time.  Can anyone reccommend a way to insert these 4 items into the
$msg variable so i can send one mail w/ all 4 items included?


 <t>
   <transaction>
     <customer>
  <name>Daniel B.</name> 
  <email>chansen1@xxxxxxxxx</email> 
     </customer>
  <items total="$11.78">
    <item>Milk</item> 
     <item>Butter</item> 
     <item>SuperPretzel</item> 
     <item>Paper Towels (Scott's)</item> 
  </items>
 </transaction>
  ...



<xsl:for-each select="$transactions/transactions//transaction/items/item" >
  <xsl:variable name="thePerson" select="../../customer/name"/>
   <xsl:variable name="email" select="../../customer/email"/>
   <xsl:variable name="msg" select=???'/>

   <xsl:value-of
select="myJava:myMail.send($email,'test@xxxxxx,'Coupon!', $msg)" />