When I pictured the A's house I thought it would be...well, different from when I left 5 years ago.
I know it's hard to believe, but it actually is pretty much the same!
L. was very disappointed that she didn't manage to set everything up for my arrival.
She was ill for many years, feeling sleepy, having no energy and it took the doctors about 4 years to find out what was wrong and get her the right medicine. Just when she started to feel all energetic again... she thought she was fighting a cold...well, she was pregnant and on bedrest for much of her pregnancy. When I arrived they had cleaned out the office, so all that stuff is now in the dining room...I slept on an air mattress at first, but now I have a high wooden bed with many drawers to store all my stuff...
All in all it's a bit messy but very comfortable and I feel very much at home! It's just impossible to keep a house nice and shiny with 4 children, two dogs and grandpa in the pool house...
The boys are a lot of fun! Since they are 9 years old now, they don't need adult supervision at all times. They are all very creative and have just started to write short stories / novels:
No. : Isenderon - The last of the Nordic myths - Book one: The cliff
Ni. : Kakumaera and the magic coconut and the evil tiger
H. : The golden book, Napoleons slippers and others
They all have swim lessons at the pool where the family has a membership and their piano teacher comes to the house once a week. For H. there is another appointment on Thursdays, he has to go to physical therapy. I help with their reading, watch them practice piano and cook together with them. At their age they actually are a help in the kitchen!
Today the boys were allowed to carve with theis pocket knifes and they set up a tent in the garden with their father. All three of them planned to sleep there tonight but ended up going to their own beds. H. was not sure about the whole thing in the first place. He kept saying:"I'm just not sure about this. I wish somebody woud stay out there with us and stay awake the whole time." It was also really hot in the tent so one can blame them.
And then there is baby Maddy/Tilly !! The sweetest thing you have ever seen! She has just celebrated her 6 months birthday on the first of June! She talks to herself nonstop, giggles and is a very happy baby. She just started sitting up and rolling over. L. thinks she might start walking before I leave! Today she took her first swim in the pool and we took many pictures to prove it! She loved it and so did Ni.,No. and papa A. The thrid brother H. is still not sure what to think of the baby but when he thinks nobody is looking you can see him watching her, smiling...
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
It's done! I'm here! I thought this day would never come...After a good 20 h of traveling, feeling sick and horrible pain in my ears I landed in Nashville, TN!!
But let me begin at the beginning...
I left Enschede on Sunday morning together with MJ to go to J.'s appartment in A'dam. We had a great day walking around the city and MJ actually showed me some touristy things I had never visited before...
Unfortunately I had left J.'s instructions on how to get from the city to her place at the appartment, so we ended up guessing where to go. After traveling by tram into the general direction of the flat we took out the map and discovered the street just by name recognition. To get me into the American spirit we had dinner at the Mac...
Early the next morning we traveled with the tram and train to the airport. When I was checking in they scared me for a moment telling me that they thought I could only stay in the US for 60 days without a visa. Well, they soon found out that this was wrong and that it's OK for me to stay up to 90 days.
I found out that security has increased a lot! The questions they asked you would not believe !
" Who booked this flight? How long do you know this person? What does she do for a living? How old are her children? Where is your boyfriend? What does he do? How long have you known each other...." and all the time this woman gave me a strange look, as if she didn't believe a word I said.
My flight was OK and since we landed early in Nashville I saw the boys before they saw me. They really have grown up, well it's been 5 years...
After doing some shopping we went home to L. and the baby - the cutes thing ever, I want one ;-) no worries Tom, just teasing- had a nice dinner and talked for some time before I went to bed.
The last couple of days I've gotten to know the family routine, cooked delicious meals for all of us with the help of the boys, read a lot with them and helped with their piano and swimming lessons. It's a bussy, sometimes crazy house, but nice to be a part of it.
More about the family and all the happenings next time!
But let me begin at the beginning...
I left Enschede on Sunday morning together with MJ to go to J.'s appartment in A'dam. We had a great day walking around the city and MJ actually showed me some touristy things I had never visited before...
Unfortunately I had left J.'s instructions on how to get from the city to her place at the appartment, so we ended up guessing where to go. After traveling by tram into the general direction of the flat we took out the map and discovered the street just by name recognition. To get me into the American spirit we had dinner at the Mac...
Early the next morning we traveled with the tram and train to the airport. When I was checking in they scared me for a moment telling me that they thought I could only stay in the US for 60 days without a visa. Well, they soon found out that this was wrong and that it's OK for me to stay up to 90 days.
I found out that security has increased a lot! The questions they asked you would not believe !
" Who booked this flight? How long do you know this person? What does she do for a living? How old are her children? Where is your boyfriend? What does he do? How long have you known each other...." and all the time this woman gave me a strange look, as if she didn't believe a word I said.
My flight was OK and since we landed early in Nashville I saw the boys before they saw me. They really have grown up, well it's been 5 years...
After doing some shopping we went home to L. and the baby - the cutes thing ever, I want one ;-) no worries Tom, just teasing- had a nice dinner and talked for some time before I went to bed.
The last couple of days I've gotten to know the family routine, cooked delicious meals for all of us with the help of the boys, read a lot with them and helped with their piano and swimming lessons. It's a bussy, sometimes crazy house, but nice to be a part of it.
More about the family and all the happenings next time!
Thursday, June 14, 2007
The beginning
Hello all!
The start of a new blog and also the start of a new adventure!!
On the 18th of June I will fly to Nashville, Tennessee to go to the A. family.
This site will be filled with reports of all the exciting things I will do there and hopefully you will then send me a report of all the things that are going on in your lives as well!
The start of a new blog and also the start of a new adventure!!
On the 18th of June I will fly to Nashville, Tennessee to go to the A. family.
This site will be filled with reports of all the exciting things I will do there and hopefully you will then send me a report of all the things that are going on in your lives as well!
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