Home--and this time for good!

(I hope you enjoy these pictures. They are of Emeline at the conference and our baby shower in the Austrian Alps and times in the town of Salzburg in Austria and the little village of Ramsau in the Alps in Germany. These were Emeline’s first times in snow and cold weather, so we kept her very bundled up!)

We are finally home for good. No more hotels, staying with family or conferences in Austria. As much as we enjoyed those times, we are more than thrilled to be settled in our apartment for a good long while. Emeline has been to 4 different countries in just the 6 short weeks she has been with us. We are going to be staying put for a bit. Emeline needs this, and we are looking forward to showing her around the neighborhood and showing her off to our German friends and neighbors.

We were home in Germany for just one week before we headed off for a week-long conference in Austria. And, it wasn’t just in Austria, but in the Alps and in a castle. It was a wonderful time of catching up with friends and getting some spiritual refreshment and encouragement. My friend, Jackie, organized a shower for us with all of our friends. It was a very special time, and we got some great gifts for Emeline. It was at this conference last year that we first showed off our first pictures of Emeline. At that time, we had just been matched with Emeline, and were just beginning the long wait to bring her home. It was so wonderful to celebrate Emeline’s homecoming with these friends who had been praying for her all year.

Emeline, being the social butterfly that she is, loved all the people at the conference. She especially enjoyed running (yes, I said RUNNING) around with the other little children. She has even started kicking a ball as she roams around. She is very coordinated. It a crying shame that Pappy can’t get his hands on her to play softball. Oh well, since she is from Guatemala and is living in Europe, maybe soccer is a more natural choice.

Oh, and she is busy, busy, busy. She is still trying to eat everything and has a special fondness for chewing on tubes of all kinds. She still also enjoys chewing on—and not wearing—her shoes. She also has begun twirling around in circles.

And---She is sleeping through the night now (with a few short wakes)!!! This has just been for the last 3 nights. She had been waking up for a 3-4 hour play session each night since we got back to Germany. I feel like a new woman now that I have gotten some sleep! No complaints here, though, I still feel like the most blessed mom in the world to have her waking me up. She can wake me up anytime. She is currently in our bed at night, and sometimes I can’t stop staring at her. Chris and I still thank God every day that she is finally home.

I know there are many moms who would give anything to be up at night with their babies. Please remember to pray for the many families who are still waiting to bring their children home.

I hope you all had a Happy Easter. We did not have a white Christmas, but we did have a white Easter this year! HE IS RISEN, and that is our hope. I am getting off the internet now to play with my daughter!!!!!