the first trip home.

When you take an expat assignment, one of the sacrifices is leaving a life that may have taken years to build.  You're basically starting at ground zero.  You may be leaving family, best friends, your dream home, and perhaps even a job you love (if you're going for your spouse's career.)

After six months in the Netherlands, muddling through the process of starting over, we crossed back over the pond for our first trip home.

I approached it all with a bit of trepidation, not just because I was flying with three small children sans Hubby (but with in-laws on board to help, thanks and praise!) but because I didn't know how I would feel being back.  Would I cry tears of relief?  Would I pick up with relationships without missing a beat? Or would I miss our new life and feel no regrets about our choice to leave for a few years? 

What happened was a little bit of both.

Our first day stateside, back in the humid July air of Kentucky, all my kids (and me, quite frankly) woke up at the unholy hour of 2:30am and were awake for the day.  Wide awake.  So as not to severely annoy my in-laws (a different set than traveled with) the four of us hung out upstairs in the guest bedroom, eating snacks and probably being louder than necessary pre-sunrise.

Later that day, as I went for a run in the heavy air through their Louisville subdivision, I had plenty of thoughts of things I realized I missed.  The humidity wasn't one of them, but the friendliness of strangers you pass by was.  (Dutch people keep to themselves if you don't know them.  Unless you do something they feel the need to correct you on.  Then they will make sure to tell you very matter-of-factly.)

My kids had missed their grandparents, for sure.  After a day of relaxing and adjusting to the time difference, Finola said to me quite seriously, "Mom, today was a really good day."  It honestly had been, and all we had done is relax and draw with sidewalk chalk.  Sometimes you need that.

chess with great grandpa Bubba.

I also got to spend a few days with dear friends back in our neighborhood.  It was so fun to get some time with some girlfriends I hadn't seen in six months.  I saw as many as I could in a short time period!  I wish I had more photos!  Being in Holland has been a bit isolating for me, so it was a nice reminder that I can still hang out socially in groups with relative ease.  I also got to snuggle a few babies that had been born while we've been away, which was a total treasure.

dinner out with sweet friends in Cincinnati.

love all of these ladies. 

After ten days in Kentucky and a tearful goodbye at the airport with the grandparents, the kids and I flew solo to Minneapolis.  We met up with Hubby at MSP and headed to my tiny hometown in Minnesota for a few days at the hobby farm I grew up on.  Always relaxing, always life-giving to be in the fresh air and calm environment of home.  Spent precious time with both my brothers, my sister-in-law, niece and nephew, and my parents.  We made the most of the time : sipping Gunflint Red, relaxing on the farm, canoeing, and even hiking a tiny bit as well.

As the days dwindled and we approached the time to fly back to the Netherlands, I felt...well, not a lot.  Usually after being away from "normal life" for a while I crave my routines and the familiarity of home.  Not this time.  My heart felt a bit heavy to leave the US.  I realized that while our life in the Netherlands is good, or perhaps it is slowly transfiguring into something quite nice...it isn't there yet.  I knew I was going back to a house that didn't quite feel like home (yet?) and the distance between family and dear friends seemed even more wide.

Is this normal?  I'm not sure.

I know God has His reasons for leading us abroad, and there is so much to be said for how I've grown and been pushed out of my comfort zone in even six months.

Plus, I also know there are more adventures to be had!

Only regret from this trip home?  Not bringing an entire extra suitcase to fill with Target purchases.  Not a joke.

Here are some more moments from our trip back...

Baby Whit finally allowed himself to be held by people other than myself...mostly when I was not present.

kisses from auntie Marvie

Cormac got a bonus USA birthday celebration! (where cake tastes like cake.) 

last shot with mimi + arcy at the airport

the playhouse in mn

the weather was perfect in mn.

getting my summer wildflower fix.

I took as many walks around the trail as possible (fewer now that I have another tiny babe!) 

nature walk with uncle spence.

yoshi hunting.

my darling, constant companion.

swimming at the cousins' house.

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swinging with grandpa, singing songs I used to sing with him, too.

Whit found the best seat in the house.

a newer addition!  my mama shares my love for limelight hydrangea. 

campfire night.

trying our best to fill up the ginormous barnwood table Spence built.

missing the rest of our fam in Montana!  

Hubby and I got a date night to get dinner with friends in Mpls.

early morning reading + coffee (and bird + bunny watching.) 

blondies first time canoeing!

they still talk about this...especially in the current when we stopped for lunch!

zumbro river.

I'm just makin' sure no one falls overboard. #momlife

me and ma girl in the Old Town.

on 'top of the world' with grampa

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Now it is back to school!  

I hope everyone had a lovely summer holiday!