Precious Baby Feet

This picture of Kenny's feet was taken when he was about 3 weeks old. I still can't believe he's walking and even starting to talk. Here are some words he's saying:
Mama
Dada
Hot
Nay Nay (Nate)
Ania (he calls Abi that. It's Mongolian for 'big sister')
Za (means ok in Mongolian)
Us (water in Mongolian)
Dog

What's making me smile these days...

1. Watching Kenny walk
   
2. Seeing my friend, Amanda after 2 years and knowing that she'll be living in UB now and not Chicago!
3. Another wedding at church
   
4. Sharing a plate of spicy chicken and peanuts with Hetee and Amanda
5. Finding mango concentrate at the market and making a yummy smoothie
6. Baking bread
7. Babies!
8. Hearing Nate recite his scripture verses
9. Hearing Abi say, "You're the beautifulest mommy ever in the world"
10. My comfy pajama pants at bedtime
11. My mom and I sewing for the kids
12. Our Church's new praise and worship album is out!
13. Coffee cake
14. Good health
15. Hetee being in a car accident and NO ONE getting hurt!
    

What's been making you smile?

Cousins

This is a picture of the kids with their brand new cousin--their first cousin in Mongolia!

Her name is Munkh-Enerel, which means Eternal Grace. She was born 2 weeks ago and I helped deliver her!

It's not a great picture and you can't see her face very well but she is beautiful and has a headful of jet black hair.

Don't you just love the way Kenny is sitting?! Cracks me up!

If today was a sign of things to come, I'm going to have to put a lock on the pantry door. My kids, who normally are very picky and selective when it comes to eating, practically wiped me out food wise today.

It all started this morning when Abi (3) and Nate (5) asked me for cinnamon toast after having eaten watermelon and bread and jam (healthy, homemade bread and jam=) for breakfast. Kenny (13 mos) seemed hungry, too (pointing to the kitchen and going "nyum, nyum"), after his morning nursing, so I made him a bowl of oatmeal to eat before his nap. Nate asked for a bowl, too and both boys ate until it was gone.

I started on lunch-- homemade wholewheat tortillas and bean/veggie soup. I wanted to use the tortillas to make baked tortilla chips but the kids were eating them almost as fast as they were coming off the griddle! I managed to save a few and make my chips only to have Abi come and turn the oven light and check on them every 2 minutes and ask imploringly if they were done yet!

By this time, I'm starting to catch on and am just shaking my head in amazement! I've never seen them eat so much before, especially Abi!

I served lunch and the chips disappeared in no time along with their soup. Meanwhile Kenny ate a bowlful of cooked, fresh carrots and potatoes and some bean soup and a tortilla! Gosh! He is feeling better, by the way. I was very happy to see him eating so much after being so sick for over a month. =)

For snack time we made a peanut butter smoothie and Kenny had some kasha with his. He ate a huge bowlful and was looking for more.

For supper I made one batch of pancakes. Should have made 2. Nate ate 3 and a half, Abi and Kenny each ate 2!

All throughout the day today I had to literally keep shooing Nate out of the pantry! All he wanted to do was eat this and that. It was so weird! I told him if he keeps it up I'm going to have to send him to grandma's house because she has a bigger pantry.

What am I going to do? Seriously, I try to keep our food spending to about $185.00 a month. That's pretty much all I have to work with when feeding 3 adults (we have a young Mongolian girl staying with us for a time) and 3 kids. Together with other household expenses, not including bills, it comes out to about $200.00 to $250.00 a month. Minimum wage just went up here and right along with it the prices of groceries and gas. Just about every time I do my monthly shopping, at least 5 or 6 items on my list have gone up in price. I know this because I keep track with a pen and paper.

Here are some things that have gone up over the past 4 months or so:
(Exchange rate: 1 us dollar= 1160 tugrugs)

beans -from 1,500 a kilo to 2000
beef- from 2500 a kilo to 3000
peanuts (kids' favorite!)-1400 a kilo to 2400
apples-from 800 a kilo to 1000
butter- from 1400 a kilo to 2200
bread- from 300 to 350
oil- from 5000 for 5 liters to 6500

And the list goes on and on.

Although the increase in the prices has me a bit worried and kind of mad, I am happy my kids' appetites are picking up and that they enjoy my cooking. And I know God will continue to provide for us as He has always done without fail in the past.

Every time we stock the pantry, we pray a prayer of thanksgiving for God's faithfulness in providing for our family through the help of friends who support us. We know full well that all we have is a gift from Him.

Sigh...

I feel better.

Happy Birthday, Nate!

Today is Nate's 5th birthday!

My, how time flies...

This morning Nate and I were in the kitchen making pancakes (his birthday breakfast request) and I was telling him all about the night he was born. He was fascinated and asked a lot of questions.

Nate, born at 9:20 pm on Aug 3rd

Sometimes he asks me why I had him at a hospital, with "bad" doctors, yet, had Abi and Kenny at home. I told him that it was not because of him (children seem to blame themselves for the most absurd things!) and that mommy and daddy are a lot smarter now because of him and his birth. He then asked me-- get this-- if the doctors tried to abort him! I told him, "no"and that he never had to worry about that. But there was something about his birth that holds a lot of meaning for us.

I remember the first time I set eyes on the delivery chair (or whatever they call that contraption) at the hospital where he was born. I recognized it since I'd seen it before at abortion clinics as same ones they used for abortions.

Next to the "chair" was a basin full of abortion tools-- curettes, pincers ( I can't remember the name in English! They look like mini forceps), etc. I noticed these were still there as Nate was being born. Funny how you see these things even in the throes of hard labor!

It was during a moment of respite from the contractions when I had a "thought", that I felt, was a prophetic one. I thought, wouldn't it be a hoot if the most powerful pro-lifer Mongolia were to ever know, were born on an abortionist's table into an abortionist's hands? (many Ob's double as abortionists) Only God could have thought that up!

Nate getting to know Grandpa

Today he's quite the pro-lifer. He's been to countless seminars and classes and could probably teach one by now. He's sat in on many birth classes and has been there for his sister's birth and actually assisted his little brother's birth. He knows babies are a gift from God and that they are alive from conception. He knows abortion is murder. He knows more than most adults.

With Abi, minutes after her birth

The other day, out of the blue, he said something that made me go "whoa". We were sitting in the car waiting for someone and he stated matter of factly that I hadn't done any pro-life seminars in a while. He then pointed out that babies are dying every day so, "Please hurry and tell as many people as you can".

Holding his brand new baby brother

The other day Nate and I were taking a walk outside and I was using the opportunity to instill some wisdom into him. I told him that life had 2 cycles--in the first cycle, mommy and daddy are responsible for him and his siblings. It is our job to feed, clothe, and provide for any needs they may have. But after they grow up, the second cycle begins and then it is their turn to care for mommy and daddy help us in any way we may need it.

Funny and lovable--that's Nate

He nodded his head in full agreement and told me eagerly that he "may have" changed his mind about being a rock star/astronaut and wanted instead to be an electrician. I think that he came to that decision as the reality of taking care of mommy and daddy sunk in. He then told me that he would be a very good electrician and would buy clothes and juice for us with his paychecks. I told him that was very generous of him.

So, my Nater Potater turns 5 today. I gave him a "grown up" New Testament, among a few other things. We started reading it today.

I made him a cake, decorated like a soccer ball and he was thrilled with it. I was disappointed that my icing didn't come out better, but I didn't let it ruin the fun!

The past 5 years of my life have been full of wonder, joy, frustration, tantrums, tears and change. I can only imagine what the next 5 years will bring!

God Bless you, Nate. Mommy loves you!