Our arrival in Holland

These pictures we received just this week, they were taken by my niece JoAnn.
It is allready one month ago since we arrived in Schiphol.
Here the family is waiting for us to come through those glass doors.

Hands

Have you ever noticed how hands carry the genes of the family?
Remember the song on Sesame Street "One of these hands is
not like the other, well one of these just doesn't belong."
Actually on these pictures there are two hands that do not belong!
I wonder if anybody can guess? You might want to click on them to get a better view!

That is not all!

Jerome is Nic and Tessa's son














Arjan is Jerome's big brother














Els, Bertie's daughter

Some good looking family members

Chantal is Wil's daughter
Marcel is Chantal's brother




















Sister in law Ieteke their Mom




















Martin husband of Els

More of Holland

My house downtown Haarlem where I lived from approx. 1954 untill 1960 when I came to Canada.
My room was the middle window third floor.
The first floor was rented out to a business.
The house should be more than 300 years old by now.
My father who had "golden hands" changed the whole house to give all us kids our own room. He even made small apartments for two of my brothers who got married and could not find a place to live because of the housing shortage.

I really wanted to have a look inside, but there was nobody home. I heard that the house was changed into several apartments. I do write a lot about this house in my diary as this is the house I had to keep clean, I really wanted to show Yvonne the big marble entrance, which I had to scrub. The door is the same as I remember, so big and tall and impressive!
This my little brother Wil, not so little anymore. he became a successful business man and I am extremely proud of him. He is retired now and enjoys live with his wife Ieteke.






Here we are visiting in their home. Their granddaughter looking on as all this English speaking was going on!

Memories

It is just amazing how fast the time is going. Holland seems to be a dream gone by. I am actually surprised that I did not get this let-down feeling. Instead I have this extremely thankful feeling. I just can't believe that the Lord allowed me to make this trip in such good health. I mean the energy I had was unbelievable. I had been a bit apprehensive about it, until my sister Cobie said to me on the phone before the trip that she would pray for me to have energy and more. Well, I just went and went like I had a couple of batteries in my body!!

That Yvonne was able to make this trip with me, that Jason allowed her to go and take full responsibilities for the girls was a gift. For Ted it was also a big sacrifice as he did not like to be alone. So thank you Jason and thank you "Schat". Actually it was the first thing I said to Ted when I saw him back: "Thank you for allowing me to make this trip. It was a dream (while I was recovering from cancer) come true."

I did all the things I wanted to do and see and Yvonne was so caring and patient. I'd say, oh and here in this house lived my sister Cobie's boyfriend of which my parents did not approve. And here......oh yes, Yvonne'd say. Then I'd go on to something else I remembered. I even rang the doorbell of the house in which I was born and she'd stand a bit in the distance as she probably thought Mom is going too far, who is going to let her in? Unfortunately for me there was nobody home.





The reception in Holland was fantastic and well you can tell by my face! Even in the stores with my mixed Dutch - English, (I 'd thought I was speaking flawlessly) but I could not fool those smart Dutchies. So we were just treated so well by them were ever we went.






The windows in the front are the same but the ones at the side of the house and the door as well have been changed.


















This the backlane at the end is our house on the left. Same stones isn't that something. I have walked there many times as a child. I found that just incredible. Where that lady is standing in the backyard of that house I told Yvonne I had my finger chopped off and had to go on the back of my Mother's bike to the doctor. Screaming like any kid would scream with blood streaming down.
I thought for sure I had become history!

More of guess who

Guess who?

Meet some of my family in Holland

You can view these pictures better by double clicking on them!

This is my brother Nic, (in one of his rare serious moments!), he did so much for us, such as arranging for the apartment we stayed in. Driving us around where ever Yvonne and I wanted to go. He borrowed us his camera so we were able to take all these pictures. He supplied us a cell phone so we could call him or some other relative. He did above and beyond our expectations. I will be forever grateful.








This is my dear sister Bertie who is five years older than me and my (baby) brother Wil who is six years younger. I was so happy to see them you can tell by the grin on my face!









Bertie on the left, than brother Govert ten years older and sister Cobie 15 years older, Wil and then Nic who is three years older. Now you have to guess how old I am, hahaha!










Here I am having a good (of our many) laughs with Tessa, Nic's wife. She is a jewel it was amazing what she all did for us. She hosted our birthday party, prepared breakfast for us every morning. We could have eaten in our apartment, but hey, we just loved their company and they ours. She supplied our bedding, towels and whatever else we needed.

Our Birthdays

Sunday, yesterday Yvonne and I celebrated our Birthdays. It was a busy day the kids had a good time. It took me an hour to clean up as they had taken popcorn to the guest bedroom. But you got to love them!
Here Anneka is doing her "poses", they got to get her in a model agency, don't you think so?

Above Anneka is beating me in a game of checkers. The four kids enjoying "Sunday lunch at Oma's house", this irks Opa since when is this "Oma's House"?
What is a Birthday without a Birthday cake?
Anneka always wants to help handing out the plates to all the guests. She said to me: "Oma I suggest you give cake to the grownups first!" to which I replied: "Now Anneka what an excellent idea, why didn't I not think about that!"
Of course that made her feel oh so smart. She gave a piece to 4 year old Evan, I said to Evan: "You better give that piece to Evan!" He looked at the cake then to me, is that woman all there or what! Then Anneka piped out,: "But Oma, he is Evan!" The look on his face......priceless!

Can a fellow have some peace around here!
Evan totally pooped out after an afternoon at Oma's house. yes he was sleeping!
We had not noticed he had disappeared as we were all sitting downstairs in the family room.

Yes, you got to love them. Without them my live would not be complete. Got to stay healthy for them!!

Happy Birthday Henk!

Ola Henk

Henk must me my most favorite brother in law. I just love his wife Connie. When Ted was sick, recuperating from a cancered liver operation, they came over all the way from Brazil and stayed with us for six weeks. Those were indeed wonderful weeks, beside the fact of Ted's surgery of course.I have never in my life seen such christian love in action.I will never forget that time.Have a very Blessed day Henk.
With all my love.
Truus

This picture was taken on our front lawn!

Back home second day!

Well I am living in a dream world, I find it hard to believe Yvonne
and I had all those wonderful experiences. It was just better than I had anticipated.

Right now I am dealing with the jetlag, waking up early 4:30am. I slept this afternoon for a few hours then my dear "happy to have me home" husband made some tea with Dutch crackers and Dutch cheese. This evening I will have to go to bed early as I have to go back to the office tomorrow, talking about the reality of being back home.

We had our own (empty) apartment in the building where my brother Nic and SIL Tessa have a Pent-House. We had taken an Aero bed with us with Tessa supplying us with all the bedding and towels we were as comfortable as can be.


My niece JoAnn had supplied us with a lot of food. So we could snack while we were in the apartment. I found out she is just about the sweetest person you could meet. I had not seen her for more than 30 some years. She was the one who took us to Amsterdam, drove us around, treated us to coffee, pastry, croquets and the most exiting thing of all a boat ride throughout the canals in Amsterdam, this was such a nice day, we made lots of pictures.


When Yvonne left to go to Maassluis I spent two nights with JoAnn. I met her husband of 20 years. As she lives in Naarden she showed me around her town and also surrounding small villages.

More to come in the next couple of blogs

Back from Holland

Well we are back from Holland, there is so much to tell, I just don't know where to start. We made about 400 pictures!

It is good to back home with my husband, because here is where I belong.
While walking the streets in Haarlem Yvonne mentioned I miss the girls and Jason. From experience I know that " time flies when you are having fun". I suggested not to think about it because person cannot exist in two worlds.

What I enjoyed as well is having this experience together with Yvonne. My family could tell how much we love each other. After all, we spent almost every minute together except for the time she went to Maassluis. You'd think I would be happy to have the apartment all to my self! No way, as nice and comfortable as it was I knew I could not be there without her. So I went to stay with my very special niece JoAnn in Naarden. As I have not seen her for ages we realized how much the same we are. I had a difficult time saying goodbye to her.

I will write more in the days to come and will post a few picture of this family of mine.