Belly Pics!

What's been making me smile

• Abi is reading!
• Baby's bed is all painted,names (English and Mongolian) are all picked out, and everything is washed.
• Seeing hundreds of lives touched and changed at the G12 conference and encounter following a few weeks ago in Ulaan Baatar.
• The snow. Snow always reminds me of my sins being washed whiter than snow.
• Homemade waffles with the best tasting Russian jam ever!
• Being a channel through which God blesses my family, my church and other people.
• Nate's new Wall-e robot. It's so cute! (thanks again, Lydia!)
• Kenny is turning into such a big boy and loves to help me cook. He says he's going to teach the baby lots of things like Christmas is Jesus' birthday. Cute!

I'm sure there are a ton of other things making me smile but I gotta run for now... What's been making you smile?

Yes!

We moved! The apartment we were praying for became availiable and we moved in the night before Hetee left for UB to start translating. I left the next day to join him and to translate as well. The kids stayed with my parents for the week we were gone so unpacking took a backseat until we got back and were able to focus on that. Now we're pretty much settled and Nate says that when he uses the bathroom he doesn't feel like he's at someone's house anymore. =)

Thanks for your prayers! Our apartment is in a building that is owned by the Erel cement company. The director of the company lives on the same floor as us. =) It's clean, warm (very important!) and affordable. The building and parking spaces are enclosed and we have a guard to keep an eye on things. It's nice to have a safe place for the kids to play. Best of all, we are now neighbors with our friends, the Robinsons, an awesome American family who's kids are friends with our kids. We are also much closer to town--the bank, stores etc. Makes life easier.

Tomorrow we'll be traveling to UB to renew Abi's passport. Hopefully it will be a short trip and I can get back to my nesting. Only 5 more weeks till Baby Girl is born! We're all excited, although I'm not too thrilled about labor. Hopefully I'll be sick and tired of being pregnant by then that labor will seem like a really good idea. =)

Hetee and I still can't decide upon a name and I'm starting to get anxious. I can never seem to rest until we've got the name picked out. There is one name I really like but Hetee could take it or leave it. We'll see if I can persuade him. =)

Just a little update

Thank you to those who have been praying for our apartment situation. We looked at a few leads yesterday but they all fell through right around bedtime. Then right before we were about to go to bed, Hetee's phone rang with another lead. We will go and look at it today. We are down to the wire and having to wait is not easy for me. =) After the move we will be in Ulaan Baatar for a week of ministry so we really need to get this thing going.

School has been going great, now that we're all adjusting. I still have to plan a lot but the kids seem to be enjoying it. Every day I pray for God's wisdom and I can feel the Holy Spirit directing me as we go. We have our days but all in all, it's been good.

We have been memorizing Scripture more as a part of school, which is something I've been wanting to do. At first I didn't think Kenny (3) would be interested, but he has become very good at it and can memorize and quote as good as anybody. So far the kids have memorized 3 Scriptures. I hope to memorize about 30 throughout the school year.

I'm so excited about a new project that myself and my G12 group of women will be starting soon! A little background: About a month ago I got a call from an OBGYN who goes to our church. She was calling from work to ask for help for a woman who had given birth but was unable to take her baby and go home because she was so poor and had absolutely nothing to clothe or wrap the baby in. Since Mongolian mothers swaddle their newborns, the doctor asked me if I could send a swaddling blanket over right away. I sent over a couple baby blankets and some baby clothes but I was left thinking that there must be a bigger way that we can help. I found out from the doctor that this happens a few times a month so my ladies and I decided that we will help to provide for this need. We can't wait to get started and bless the community!

Well, I'm off to start breakfast and school. Have a good day all!

So tell me what ya want, what ya really, really, want

Over the past couple weeks several people have asked us what we would like for the new baby. We appreciate everyone's kindness SO much and, in an effort to make it easier for everyone, I have devised a Target wishlist at target.com (accessed by "Melanie A Kocke"). Since they do not ship to Mongolia, if you order something you will have to have it sent to yourself and then ship it to our address (it's in my blog side bar). The things that I've chosen are small and can be packed/sent pretty easily. My list is also set on "public" so you can access it from a target store as well.

I don't have many clothes picked out, since we don't know if we are having a boy or a girl. If you'd like, please feel free to browse the "for momma" list. Momma likes surprises, too. =)

Thanks guys, for making this time extra special for us. We love and appreciate you all!