*Our First Tet

Happy Tet everyone! Today is the first day of Tet, the Vietnamese New Year, and the most important holiday in Vietnam. Most Vietnamese celebrate with family and go to temple. They also use fireworks to celebrate. Today ushers in the year of the Rat. This year is considered a special year, occurring only once in about 600 years, that is considered a very lucky year to be born. For that reason it is expected that the birth rate will go up in the country, that is already overcrowded and can't provide for it's children. I read today that Vietnam has a very, very high abortion rate. The government is hoping to promote "family planning" to help with the problem, but it is not likely to be effective this year.

Maybe Liv will be born in this "lucky" year. I don't believe in luck, and I hope that isn't why her mother gets pregnant. But, maybe it will also reduce the abortion rate. They're are lots of people here wanting to adopt those extra babies!

It's interesting that for the first time, I can kind of imagine what Liv's birth mom might be doing today. She is celebrating what is likely her favorite holiday, with those she loves.

Lord, please watch of Liv's mother. Help her to make wise decisions in how she takes care of her body. Provide the nutrition and emotional support she needs. Draw her heart to you, and assure her that her child will be very, very loved. Thank you.

Doesn't he look like a "Who?" (Keith playing with a camera lense)

Koen, pretending he's "in car", using tuperware for a steering wheel.