The Great Commission

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matt 28:19,20 NIV

Today was a very special day of celebration. All six of our Mongolian friends were baptized!! God has worked such miracles in the lives of these children and their guardians, healing the girls hearts and now saving their souls. They all decided to be baptized three weeks ago and have anxiously waiting for the big day. Our house and lives have been filled to overflowing with undeserved blessings during this time and we are humbled that God used us in this simple way of opening our home and our hearts to these special people, there by showing them the love of Christ.

My mom bought Hannah and Nomio matching Christmas dresses.

We finally got to hold one of these girls. Bolormaa has the best smile, doesn't she?

Breakfast with Santa

Dad's Knights of Columbus hosted a pancake breakfast with Santa at their church. We met Mom and Dad, Tracy, and my cousing Leigh and her family that are visiting from California. It was a nice morning.

Fellowship

I have a bunch of very special Christian friends and I was honored to have them over for lunch on Friday. We held a bible study during the summer to keep us on track while Concordia's bible study takes a break and now we rotate lunch at each other's houses once a month. Since it is the Christmas season I got out the china (I love how that makes everyone feel special, including me) and made a pot roast. Everyone else brought a dish and we had a wonderful time of Christian fellowship. You'll have to take my word for it because (again) I was too busy being a hostess to take a picture. My bad.

Duh....

One thing I had planned as a gift to our Mongolian guests was to help them do a scrapbook to take home with them. I bought some extra stickers and some 8 x 8 albums and they all came over on Thursday. Now...you would think that since scrapbooking was all about capturing special moments that I would have gotten my camera...which was sitting on the counter...and snapped a few photos of the event, but you would be wrong. What a duh....moment.

Actually, they only had a couple of hours to work on their books and they went sticker happy while I cut the 8-1/2 x 11 cardstock for them (Hobby Lobby was out of 8 x 8 on the day I went and all mine is 12 x 12). Anyway...they had a lot of fun and will be able to show their family memories of their trip to America as soon as they get home. They all did an awesome job.

I made double of my prints for Suren so that she could take them home. We have been joking about how every where we go....and I mean everywhere...every one's camera comes out and it takes forever to move through places like Sea World or the Riverwalk because someone always wants a picture and if one wants a picture they all want a picture. Well...because of time I could not wait for a Kodak 150 prints for $15 so I went to Costco.com for 13 cents a print. When I uploaded all the pictures just from the time they arrived until last Tuesday I found I had taken 511 pictures!!! So that was 1022 prints!!! Yikes!!

The most special thing about the day was after Suzette's group left. For the first time since they have been here Nomio and Hannah went down for a nap at the same time. Suren left Nomio alone in their room while she napped (which she has never done) and we sat together for 2 and 1/2 hours and scrapped. It was a very special time I will always cherish (even if I don't have pictures to remind me).

Express News

The San Antonio Express-News is doing a story on our Mongolian families. Last Monday we met at Suzette's house and the reporter interviewed Suren, Dulmaa, Tiggy and Moogie. A photographer came and wanted to get pictures of the girls playing, but they kept posing. I think there could be some models in this group. :)

On Thursday we went back to Suzette's so the photographer could take pictures of them being examined. He thought the shoot was going to be at a doctors office and not Suzette's extra bedroom, but our gals get extra special treatment so Dr. Mary comes to them with her portable echo machine in tow. We have to remind them that this is very special treatment and that we often have to make doctor's appointments weeks in advance. He also interviewed Suzette and I as host moms.

Today the photographer came to church for the baptism. It won't be in the paper (and on the web) until after they return to Mongolia on Thursday. He said he would let us know when it would be in the paper, so I'll let you know.

Christmas Cookies

Last Wednesday we baked Christmas cookies. I'm hoping I will actually get to the fudge and peanut brittle this year also. Last year I put everything away and completely forgot to make those. This year I'm leaving everything on the counter until it's done. Hannah was really into helping this year, especially helping me count cups of flour or sugar and beating the eggs. Suren and Nomio enjoyed helping Hannah sprinkle the sugar cookies aka Christmas cut-outs. It took a little longer than my feet would have liked with all the "help" but it was worth it.

This picture has nothing to do with cookies, but was taken on the same day and illustrates Nomio sitting alone on the couch without Grandma Suren. It didn't last for long. Before this picture she was playing the musical snowmen (from Hallmark) and dancing. Too cute.

Old McClellan's Farm

My friend Page invited us to her mom's house in Blanco where they have lots of animals including six goats that were only one week old. We had great fun, terrific fellowship, a wonderful dinner, and took home lots of memories.
Thank you Page, Gail and Keith for being such great hosts.


Page and Freckles

Annabelle and Mikaela


Suren with the "kids"


Making friends with Chocolate



Cactus

Looks like rain. There was a front coming in from the north and the temperature dropped 25 degrees in the 2 hours we were in Blanco.


Annabelle and Nomio were playing together. Nomio was very comfortable at the McClellan's.

The girls watched Frosty the Snowman while we got dinner ready.

We are with the band, man

Sea World

Someone at church works for Sea World and donated tickets for both groups to spend the day there last Sunday. Since they were only opened until 5pm, we bolted after the 11am service, skipping the preview tour of the new sanctuary, introducing the Mongolians to "road food" as we at McDonald's drive thru on the way to save time (and money). We had perfect weather and a great time. They had never seen anything quite like that in Mongolia.

Suren and Nomio enjoying the show

Hannah

Hannah and Nomio

Anka, Peyton and Bolormaa

Nomio and Me

Daddy and his princess

Bolormaa

Nomio

Anka

Drs. Kirk and Kim

Dr. Kirk, Nomio, Suren and Dr. Kim

Dr. Kirk is a pediatric cardiologist who was Mary Porisch's partner when she was in the military. His wife, Dr. Kim, is a pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist. They were both there for Nomio's surgery. They invited all four groups over for a big Texas BBQ. Suzette's son Alex had his Christmas band concert so they did not attend. Nomio didn't want to be around the other Mongolians but had fun running in the yard with Hannah, Stacy and I. It is truly a miracle to see how much she has opened up to us, although still no holding. We'll see if I get that hug before she leaves in 4 days.

Concordia's Advent Tea

We took the ladies to Concordia's Advent Tea. It was a beautiful occasion as it is each year. It's one of my favorite things to do to get focused on the Christ in Christmas and I was so happy to get to share it with our Mongolian friends.

Riverwalk at night

On December 4th, Nanette and Theresa, host family coordinators with Samaritan's purse in North Carolina, took us to dinner at Casa Rio. They then meet the two families being hosted by the other church to ride the river boats. Since we already rode the boats we opted to walk the river (and to the Alamo) and look at the Christmas lights. There were carolers in a boat and we all really enjoyed that as they pulled up to we were and sang a few songs.

"Thank you Jesus for these little ones"

Nomio, Dulmaa, Hannah and Suren

I got a kiss!

Who needs toys

The girls are playing with my new can opener and other Oxo tools. They sure were having a whole lot of fun with nothing.

"A landmark for Jesus Christ"

Concordia is building a new sanctuary and attached to it is a large concrete cross that is a cross on each side (and the top) and can be lit up. They tested it on December 2nd and I drove out there and took a few pictures.