Scruffy

Introducing Scruffy....

Here is Emma examining Emeline's belly button. Yep, she's got one of those holes, too.

We are really into nicknames in this family.


This week Emeline got a new nickname—Scruffy. She has many other nicknames which include: Frog, Polly-wog, Azucena (her Guatemalan middle name, which is the Spanish version of Susannah), and Emma Sue (used primarily when she is getting into trouble), and Chili (Chili was given to by an elderly lady in Guatemala, because she is a little firecracker.)

How did she get the new nickname Scruffy??? Well, she took a nose dive off a chair at her appointment to get her German visa and in doing so skinned her cute little nose. Um, no, Daddy, she cannot sit in a chair by herself. She will fall out. Daddy learned that lesson the hard way, and the nice ladies in the Visa office got quite a show. Mommy was busy signing her name to a document when this all went down. The nice lady wanted to hold Emeline, and Emeline went to her, but quickly wanted mommy or daddy. The nice German Visa lady then put Emeline in the chair next to Daddy. Then, the nose dive to the floor. I got to her first and scooped her up. It looked worse than it turned out to be. She was mostly scared, which I gathered pretty quickly after I picked her up.

Those visa ladies will not forget us…and we will not forget that day. Emeline recovered very quickly and was smiling by the time we left the ladies. We saw one of them in the elevator and she comforted Emeline (in German) by saying her nose injury would surely be healed by the time she dances at her wedding. I just hope her nose is healed in time for her photo opportunity with the tulips in Holland in a couple of weeks. If not, at least it will make for a very good story.

So, Emeline has permission to stay in Germany, and that’s good news. We also got her registered in our neighborhood. The Germans are very into people getting registered.

Emeline’s little friend in the pictures, is Emma, whose parents also work with us here in Germany. Emma is just 3 weeks older than Emeline, and they are just too cute together. Emma was checking out Emeline’s belly button and they were taking turns putting a bottle in each other’s mouth the other night. Emeline and Emma are fast friends.

Also we are hoping to get permission from an organization here in our city to use their building for some English discussion groups. Hopefully that will work out as it is very centrally located in our neighborhood. I am also hoping along with another friend to start an English language or some kind of group for mothers. Please pray that God will open doors (or close them) and for me to able to work through some technicalities. Chris has also been asked to preach at a Russian German church.

Oh, and before I sign off here I need to brag on my baby girl. She now knows the word goodbye in 3 languages—Spanish (adios), English (Bye) and German (tschues). I thought she just new it in Spanish and English, but then I noticed she waved goodbye at folks who just say tschues to her. I have tested her by throwing the word in out of context and her little waving had goes up when she hears it. I didn’t even try to teach her that. The time is already ticking to the moment she speaks better German than I do. I give her to about the age of 4 to surpass her Mama in German skills. She is brilliant I tell you!!!

(This post was written last week, and I am finally getting it posted. I will post again before the end of next week with some more pics. This post was written to be posted on last Friday, April 18th.)