The New Normal

I don't think I've mentioned yet that Todd and I are homeward bound on Friday.  We are heading back to the good ole US of A for 2 weeks, where we will be basking in the awesomeness of getting to see our family and friends and drinking tons of ice-filled large (free) waters at restaurants.  We are pumped.  

I feel like this first trip home in nearly a year is coming at a perfect time.  Todd and I have been talking about how lately we've felt more at home here in the Netherlands. It's hard to say when or where or how the shift occurred, but I went from feeling good to feeling great about living here. I am planted, and I've started to grow roots.  And although we still act like tourists all the time, we really are feeling like we live a normal life here.

Our deeper feelings of integration into this new culture will be helpful as we spend 2 weeks in the U.S.  If I wasn't feeling good about our life in the Netherlands, I think a trip home would be hard, mostly because it would be hard to come back. But now I view these 2 weeks as a way to reconnect with everyone back home, enjoy the best parts about our life there, and then head back feeling refreshed and ready to finish our last half a year or so.  Anywho, that's just some of the thoughts I've been having lately.  I am feeling very blessed that I have gotten to this point.

Now onto a couple of the highlights from last weekend.  On Friday night, we hosted a backyard BBQ at our house with some friends.  Friday did happen to be the hottest day in the Netherlands since 1940, with temps nearing 100, but that didn't stop us from having a good time.

We set up the picnic table in the backyard....

The candles were melting as they baked in the sun.

And put the buffet inside away from most of the bugs (have I mentioned that we don't have screens here or AC?)...

The contributors to the meal :).

Then we enjoyed a nice evening outside, which was perfect once the sun had gone down...

Our friends, clockwise from the bottom, Bart, Sam, Maarten, and Katja.  Dutch, American, Dutch, Finnish - a nice international table.

Jack had friends to throw the ball for her all night.

It was a fun night of great conversation!   On Saturday, we ventured to a nearby Belgian abbey located just across the Dutch border.  It was only 28km from our house, but we had yet to visit. The place is called the Abdij Postel, and it dates back to 1140.  As at many abbeys, the monks brew some great beer and make some delicious cheese.  Here's some photos from our time there:

Abbey shop where we bought a whole kilo of cheese.

The monk's refectory.

Church of the abbey.

It was a beautiful spot with a lovely outdoor cafe - the perfect place to spend a warm Saturday afternoon.

Well, that's about all for today, folks.  I will attempt to post while in the US if I can find some free time, but it might not be with much regularity.  So, until next time, stay cool!