Smile!

Isaiah David Wenger is almost 2 weeks old now. Isn't he precious!? He has blessed us with many little baby smiles. . . already! He smiled about 3 times before I managed to grab the camera and take this sweet picture! While he doesn't seem to smile in response to us yet, it just seems like smiles are one of his most natural expressions. When he started smiling so much at only a few days old, I almost couldn't believe my eyes. But as I told Serenity and Anna what I thought I kept seeing, they both attested to having been seeing the same thing! Since then we have enjoyed many smiles!

Nadia's Mother hand knitted this darling little baby outfit for Isaiah, or "Isaias" as his name is in Spanish. Nadia brought it for him as his first baby gift just a few days after his birth. We love how sweet and cuddly he feels in this, I call it his "doll clothes"! :) We are also thankful to have it, not because of the cold, for these balmy Arequipa days are in the 70's, but because our Peruvian friends believe that babies should be very well bundled up. Sooo having a traditional knitted outfit on "Isaias" when we take him out to church, or anywhere, makes the people we meet smile and nod approvingly. Much better than the many people that stop us to scold and urge us to "bundle up that poor little thing" when we've gone out with a baby dressed to US standards!

Elisabeth wanted to compare Isaiah to her doll, "Baby Amy." Pretty similar in size! Isaiah was our second smallest baby, so we are enjoying how tiny and holdable he is! Of course tiny is relative! Every one here, used to 5 and 6 lb babies, exclaims over how big our 7lb 11oz baby is! Actually, he is a good bit more than that by now, as he is growing fast! We praise God for answering our prayers and blessing us with a good nurser. That was a prayer of ours as we thought of taking him back to our home, 12,000 up in the Andes mountains. . . We praise God! Here is a picture that Elisabeth took to compare Susanna's "Osito" (Teddy bear) with Isaiah!

Our Happy Family!

Gordon and Betsie Wenger

Susanna 3, Samuel 22 mo., Isaiah 3 days, Elisabeth 5

Here is Susanna cuddling in bed with Isaiah! Isaiah David Wenger, 1 week old!

Elisabeth is quite pleased with her two little brothers!

She says she loves being a big sister.

Here is Charo, 8 1/2 months pregnant, enjoying Isaiah.

Pray for her to have a safe delivery.

She is due March 6th, and her baby is breech.

Pray for her and Hipolito to draw near to the Lord through all this.

Oh Those Faces

Isaiah David Wenger

3 days old

Is it any wonder we all love him so much!?

Sweet Baby Days

We praise God for His goodness and love towards us!

Here are some pictures that we took on Saturday so that you Grandparents and Great-Grandparents can enjoy Baby Isaiah with us even from another continent! He keeps on changing every day! What fun it is to have a baby in the home again! Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gifts to us!

The Happy Parents!

Mother Love!

Papa with his boys!

Isaiah's Second Day . . .

What better thing to do when you first wake up than . . . hold a new baby brother!

Elisabeth told us, "I am so happy that I have the privilege of being the oldest. . . so that I can hold the baby the most!"

Just waking up. . .

Our first family picture, as a family of six!

Sweet little baby, all cuddly and new! "Do you think he looks like me?" Susanna smiles with little Isaiah.

We were praying that Samuel wouldn't struggle too much with jealousy. . .he is such a Papa and Mama's boy, always loving to be held and cuddled. Well, the Lord has answered our prayers! We have never seen a toddler that loved a new baby so completely! He gazes at "Baby" with loving eyes and watches and watches. . . and is always quick to ask to hold and kiss the baby!

It's A Boy!!!

Isaiah David Wenger!

We are so thankful to announce that God has blessed us with a son!

February 12, 2009

Isaiah David Wenger was born at 2:20 pm

He was 20 in. long and weighed 7lbs.11oz

Praise the Lord!

Serenity and Anna watched the children for us the day that Isaiah was born.

The children had no idea what was going on.

When we called Elisabeth in to see, we had Isaiah hidden under a blanket. . .

He decided to announce himself with hearty cries, and you can see the surprise on her face!

Then we called Susanna and Samuel in. . . They were SO excited!

Samuel started saying "Baby! Baby!"

And here is our bundle of joy! A baby BOY!!

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!

announcement

Hello all, Just to let you know: Isaiah David Wenger made his appearance Thursday afternoon at 2:20. 7lb 11oz, 20 inches. Baby and mother doing well. Thank you for your prayers. He came 13 days ahead of plans, but right on time. Labor was about 10 hours. Dr. Papa attended. Every thing is well. We are all overjoyed! Photos to follow soon.

Serving Christ and the Quechuas, Gordon Wenger

Getting ready for BABY!!

Baby Clothes!!!!!

With blue in front, and pink in back, we are ready for whatever may come. . .

Now all that lacks is. . . the baby! Doesn't this clothes line make you want to say, "Awwww"?

We DO have a shelf full of clothes that have been ready for several weeks, but today we decided to get the "next size up" all washed and ready as well.

Susanna had such fun dressing her "Osito" (Spanish for "bear")

in a new pair of baby sleepers when we were going through baby clothes.

Doesn't she look like a happy little Mama?

Elisabeth has had such fun dressing her doll in baby clothes!

Today she said she could hardly wait for the baby to come. . .

however she finished that sweet statement by saying,

". . .so that we can play with the special toys you have set aside for the day the baby is born!" :)

Fun at the Park!

On Saturday we went to the park for the day - what fun!

We found a park with grass, trees, and hardly any people!

We think that it is the first quiet, grassy park we have found in all our years here in Peru.

Enjoy some special pictures of our special day. . .

Samuel, 22 months old - He loves to get his hat and run outside to play!

We had a picnic, and Samuel, a very particular little boy, did not like the popcorn on his hands!

Swinging is such fun! Gordon pushed them till they had their fun! Teeter-totter fun!

We praise the Lord for such a fun and special day!

Nadia's Baptism

Praise The Lord!

This Sunday Nadia got Baptized, much to our joy and rejoicing!

We are so happy to see that she is indeed a new person!

The baptism took place here at Bob Rich's church where we are staying in Arequipa, since Nadia is in Arequipa with her family right now. We were glad that her parents, as well as Charo and Hipolito were all able to be with us. Please pray for Nadia to be a faithful light!

left to Right: Betsie (9 m. pregnant) Anna, Nadia's father, Nadia, Serenity, Nadia's mother, Merlin Yoder

Arequipa

Like father, like son!

Samuel likes singing with Papa.

Susanna enjoys sitting with Serenity and Anna.

praises

Praise God with us! Yeasterday Daniel and Maria got married! And today we had our first comunion service with them. What a privalige and blessing. Photos to follow.

Happy Children!

Especially posted with the two grandmothers in mind, with both of their birthdays upcoming.

fiesta

Here is a glimps from our bedroom of the band that played for the new years party for 3 days straight, right across the road from us.

fiesta in Velille

Watch out, grab your children, and anything you are selling, and get back! The ofical entrance of the local New Years party. Don't worry not too many of these people are drunk yet. You can see some of my cake and popcorn I was selling when the horses came through.

My Dear Husband :)

Here are a few pictures of Gordon! Since he is often taking the photos and posting them here, you all don't often get a chance to see him in daily life. The children and I, (Betsie) are so grateful for the time and effort that he puts into blessing us each day. In fact, as I type, he is tickling the children and keeping all three of them in giggles so I have some time to type! Spring is here in the Andes Mountains! On a recent hike through the mountains, which are slowly greening up again after an unusually long dry season, Gordon gathered a bouquet of wildflowers to bring home for me. What a blessing! In years past I have enjoyed wandering the hills, bringing home flowers, but at 7 months pregnant, I'm not doing much hiking right now. :) A Happy Couple! Here we are during our trip to Cusco last month - enjoying the sunshine and flowers . . . and each other! Doughnut making day! On Serenity Martin's 21st birthday last week, we enjoyed her choice of doughnuts as a birthday treat. Here Gordon is showing Elisabeth how to use a water bottle to pop out the doughnut holes. Charo, who has fond memories of making doughnuts with the Peachey family when they lived here, came bright and early to help Anna and Serenity. She is also 7 months pregnant in this picture. Please keep praying for her salvation!

Cultivating potatoes by hand, using traditional "foot plows," is back breaking work. But we had fun working together with the Swansons and "the girls" when we took them out to our "chacra" (field). Here are Gordon, Joey Swanson, and Serenity Martin working in a typical two man, one woman "set."

And last of all, when the days work is ended, and time allows, which is really only once in a great while, Gordon gets out his "sampon-ya" (very traditional Quechua musical instrument) [panflute] and plays a few hymns for us.