A (Covid) Update

I had begun to feel like maybe I was immune somehow since I feel like I’ve risked exposure quite a bit since this whole thing started….but last week my luck ran out. 

Han and I both had cold symptoms and went in to be tested, just to be on the safe side. My test came back positive and his came back negative. It was quite a shock, especially since I’m triple vaccinated already! Thankfully, I’ve had a very mild case. We’ve both quarantined and (per the recommendations) Han had a follow up test five days later and today that came back as negative once again. It’s so strange how it spreads.

No one wants to get it but I’m so grateful that my case has been so mild and that if it had to happen it hit when it did rather than closer to when I’m supposed to travel later this month.

On a lighter note, I’ve had fun decorating the Mill for Christmas. We don’t have room for a big tree, so we’ve gone “mini” instead. It all sparks a lot of joy on these cold winter days.

Sometimes it’s the little things that carry us through, isn’t it?

Sending out love to each you…and wishes for good health now-and in the New Year!

❤️‍🩹

One Year Anniversary!

 Our wedding song was “Rollercoaster” and it has truly captured the last couple years for us. 

So, there was a real poignancy in celebrating our first anniversary.

To celebrate we decided to travel to the beautiful town of Amersfoort for a few days.

It is just an hour from here-but time out together is a real treat.

Sinterklass's clothes hanging out to dry!

Amersfoort got it’s “city rights” in 1259 so everywhere you look, you see history.

      We stayed at the Lange Jan Hotel right in the town center.

It was a wonderful homebase.

We loved looking out at the town square and being able to hear the tower bells chime.

 

 

My attention span has been almost non-existent these last months, and funnily enough, even though I’m not a big cook, I’ve been most drawn to watching cooking shows, like “Top Chef”. So, I’ve gained an appreciation for all that goes into being a really high level chef. Because of this, we were inspired to spend our anniversary evening at a restaurant that had a Michelin Star. We were able to walk to it from our hotel and it was a real treat. We had a seven course vegetarian “tasting menu” so each dish was a surprise. They were also each little works of art. It was so delicious and a very special way to celebrate on a cold day.

Walking home afterwards it was special to see the Koppelpoort (built in the 1300’s!) all lit up at night.

On our last morning we awoke to a flower market that had been set up right below us.

Such beautiful flowers! And the prices of them here are so low compared to the U.S.

Only 15 euros ($17) for this giant bouquet!

We loaded up with as much as we could carry on our way out. ;)

Since our anniversary landed onThanksgiving, my heart was in many places. It's truly an American holiday so not celebrated here. But, I was sure thinking of  happy Thanksgiving past…

…and all the people that mean so much to me, who are spread out all over the world (and universe!).

So thankful for the man I married and to each of you reading this right now.

Here’s hoping the rollercoaster slows way down in the coming year.

❤️

                            

An Update from Here

I had to look at the calendar to double check that its only been six weeks since I arrived back in Holland.  I can't quite believe that. This time has felt almost surreal: an abrupt switch to quietness after a period of such intenseness. 

Feeling the pull to find a sense of equilibrium after such a period of disequilibrium. 

While it's, of course, what I want, it's also a (not too unexpected) challenge: the feelings of grief, loss, and groundlessness are rising up strongly now that things have slowed down. 

No way around, only through.

I am grateful that I truly trust this.

Since I've been here, I had my first appointment with the village doctor, who referred me to a specialist. I love that the local doctor is so close (shown below on the left) just a short walk away from the Mill.

She referred me to an oncologist in Alkmaar and we met with him this week. I liked him very much. It's hard to express the strangeness of having to check in with a doctor to find out how my body is doing. But, I was happily reassured by blood test results and with his confidence in my body's recovery. I will see him regularly for the next four years. Now I can breath a bit deeper...at least until the next blood tests and appointment in March.

On a lighter note, I'm also taking steps to get established here on my own. I've found a Dutch language teacher, I'm signing up for driving classes to get my Dutch driver's license, and found a local grief counselor. Each step feels like a big one. Finding a local hairdresser I'm happy with (and having the hair to work with) feels like a cause for celebration!

I'm finding my footing, little by little. 

That's how it goes, eh?

That's it for now.

Sending love from here.

❤️

Utrecht

Because we were both vaccinated outside of the Netherlands, we needed to travel to the city of Utrecht to have our covid vaccination records verified. By doing this we were able to get a QR code on our phones which allows us into restaurants and other indoor events.

Utrecht is just an hour away but we decided to spend the night and get to know the city a little better.

And what a beautiful city it is!

We loved the fact that that the city was built up in a "two-story" kind of way. It's unusual to be able to take the stairs down to the canal---and to have restaurants built into tunnels. There were also no cars allowed, which made it really nice to walk around.

We stayed the night in the Hotel Beijers, which was built in 1642, and has a rich history of its own.

It was really close to the Dom Church, which originally opened in 1254(!). The famous Dom Tower is being renovated but we enjoyed touring the church itself, which is open to the public.

It was a treat to stay in the city center so we could relax and then go back out at night. We couldn't resist trying out a Kaasbar/cheese bar, with cheese going by on a conveyer belt-- zo LEKKER!--and picked a cozy restaurant in one of the tunnels for dessert. 

o 

We feel really lucky that this special city is only an hour away from us. 

We will definitely be back!