The first “lasts”

I’m sitting down after, or actually while, doing my clean up. A winter storm is going on. Despite that, Erik and the kids are on their way to their ski lessons that weren’t canceled. Those Sunday afternoons while they have ski lessons, I use to clean the house. Today I am also taking down the “Slingers” or decoration from Pim’s 9th birthday. While I am putting away the last decorations, I am thinking I can put them upstairs in the box that we are putting all the stuff in that we are not using anymore. Suddenly I think of my next blog (yup, the one I am writing down now). I am thinking: this is our first last, but then I realize its not. We already had our last Christmas, our last Thanksgiving, our last New Year. And Nynke, Erik and my last birthday. And now, this was the last birthday in this house, the last birthday we are celebrating in America. Oh boy! It is getting so real lately.

As of this week it is only 5 more months until we leave. 4 months left at school, 22 weeks until we leave. When you say it like that, it really sounds so short. We are still able to hang with friends outside, not today but yesterday was a beautiful day and we had friends Ruben and Anna over with the kids. A little party in the garage and on the driveway together with balloons, decorations, cake, bitterballen (yum) and good company. So nice that we are still able to do that! We took a nice walk and had a great time!

This morning I woke up…STRESS!!!! Yesterday Erik mentioned to our friends that it is a little stressful to think about having to take a test just before we have to set foot on that airplane. If one of us is tested positive we cannot fly of course. But, what do we do then? No more house, everything shipped on the boat and only a few things (lots of M&M’s) in our suitcases. Where will we stay then, what do we do then? Crazy to think of but it gets even more complicated. I didn’t think of that yesterday, but this morning it hit me…the passport of the kids will expire on July 25th of this year, only 2 weeks after our planned travel date. In case of a positive test result everything will get real tight with that. Of course, we cannot fly with expired passports. But getting a new passport is not easy too because in order to get a new one we have to go to NY, Washington, Miami or San Francisco, those are the only places where you can get a new passport. Pfffff…..the last time we made an appointment at the consulate it got cancelled for a long time because of the Pandemic…. Maybe by that time we will all be vaccinated and we don’t have to test anymore, but we really cannot take that chance. Lets just say in one word how this all makes me feel at this moment………”AAAARRRGGGGHHHH”.

Ok, now I have that of my chest, lets become productive.

Message send to Ambassy for advice: √

Talk with Erik about me wanting to try to renew the passports: √

Looking for Airbnb’s in Washington (with good wifi so we can all work from there): √

Ok, stress level is down a bit! We will figure it out, like we always will. But boy….this whole remigration process is definitely challenging at times!

Time for a cup of tea!

XOXO