The couple is now hoping to adopt more children.
Katya Kirichenko, who lives in the village of Verkhovino, Sverdlovsk Region, believes that children are the greatest joy in life. The woman is just over 30 years old and she works as a mother every day. Katya and her husband Janis have 12 children. Their eldest son is 14 years old and the youngest is only one year old. Katya got pregnant almost every year, starting at the age of 18.
She gave birth to her first child at the age of 19.
The Kirichenkos met very romantically. Young Katya and Denis knew about each other through mutual acquaintances. The guy took Katya’s phone number, but hesitated for a long time before calling. Finally, the future lovers agreed by phone to meet. However, they had to cancel the date, because Denis broke his leg as a result of an accident.
The guy was recovering at home, and Katya had to go to the hospital herself. She needed care, but all her friends left for the New Year holidays. Janis visited Katya every day and, with a broken leg, climbed the stairs to the ninth floor, as there was no elevator in the hospital. His sensitivity and caring touched Katya’s heart. The girl agreed to his proposal to start a family; they got married when Katya was 18 years old.
A year later, the first son, Maxim, was born to the Kirichenko family.
“With my first child, it was very difficult for me. All this seemed very difficult to me. I couldn’t cope and cried. For a long time he could not sleep at night. My husband and mother took turns on duty. Crying, teething… I often remember how we decided to have a second child. When Maxim was one year old, I realized that I had not yet known the joys of motherhood, ”said our heroine.
The dream of the spouses was the birth of a daughter. When Katya was 20 years old, their daughter Eva was born. The girl was quiet and Katya liked to bring up the weather. For this reason, she and her husband decided to have a third child.
Now their family is 12 years old Maxim, 14 years old; Eva, 12 years old; Alice, 11 years old; Milana, 10 years old; Kolya, 9 years old; Veronica, 7 years old; Yana, 6 years old; Lera, 4 years old; twins Vitalina and Leva, 3 years old; Tolya, 2.5 years; Vika, 1 year old.
Shared a room and a half with my husband and 11 children.
Before the birth of the youngest daughter, the Kirichenko family lived in a private house with no running water or sewerage. They lived in one and a half rooms with an area of 34 square meters.
The house was in need of repair. Her husband disappeared from morning to night at work, Katya received benefits for having many children, but their financial situation was still difficult. At first, the couple could not afford separate beds for the children, so they had three sofas on which the children slept. The volunteers then gave them two bunk beds, which made it easier for the children to sleep.
The family took turns having lunch and dinner. The kitchen only had space for three or four people at a time. They washed dishes in the bathhouse, and the washing machine worked constantly. Katya devoted herself completely to solving everyday issues. Although the woman had hobbies such as embroidery and knitting, she did not have enough time for them.
With the help of the media, she got a new apartment.
The housing issue of the Kirichenko family aroused intense interest in the local media. She is a mother-heroine, awarded medals for the birth of 12 children and their upbringing. Journalists and deputies came to congratulate her on every discharge from the hospital. But no one was in a hurry to solve the problem of dilapidated housing.
Of course, the Kirichenko family was given a piece of land on which to build a new house. The couple began saving money for building materials. However, it turned out that the land is located in the middle of the forest, has no roads and cannot be inhabited at the present time.
Finally, a local businessman became interested in the problem of a large family, who bought a three-story house, repaired it well and moved the Kirichenko family there completely free of charge. Now the children have their own rooms, a large playroom, a living room, a gym, a swimming pool, a spacious kitchen and all the necessary amenities.
We cook 14 liters of soup and peel a bucket of potatoes a day.
To cook breakfast, Katya got up every day at 6.30. She drew water from the well and cooked 50-60 eggs or about 100 pancakes. Then she sent the children to school or kindergarten, while she herself was engaged in housekeeping and cooked dinner – 14 liters of soup.
The older children helped their mother: they fed chickens and cows, prepared hay, worked in the garden and cooked food together. For example, they were peeling a bucket of potatoes.
The children had time to walk and relax, and Katya helped them with their homework and explained the subjects. Now she realized that she could work with children and began to dream of becoming a teacher.
In the new house, the daily life of the family has changed. A school for children was chosen nearby, Katya no longer needed to go for water from the well.
However, mom still teaches children to work. She not only teaches her children to take care of themselves and their neighbors, to work around the house, but also not to forget to develop themselves through circles and sports sections.
Enjoy motherhood and don’t ask for help.
Katya says that she did not have postpartum depression. She enjoys the birth of everyone
Katya acknowledges that raising children requires energy, time and resources. But ahead of her is a happy old age and a large, friendly family. The mother of many children is convinced that raising worthy people is an important contribution to the future of the country. She compares children to blank sheets of paper from which masterpieces can be created.
Katya and Yanis Kirichenko do not think to stop there. They have already studied at the School of Adoptive Parents and now they have a desire to be the guardians of several orphans.