My Beautiful Dutch Cousins

I took a few photos at the Zijl Family reunion last Saturday and it was so fun to see them when I got home. You can see more here. If you would like any of them at a higher resolution, e-mail me and I can send it.

Home Again

We made it home again last night and my aching body was finally in bed after a 22 hour day, and this, after a day and night spent in Amsterdam. We had such a great time during the trip making many lasting memories which I hope to post in the days ahead. For now, I am a bit overwhelmed and happy to see the kids and my own bed.

Running Dutch

John ran in the Groningen Marathon this past Sunday - actually, he did the half marathon. With the time change and travel, this was still a good accomplishment. Watching a marathon in an old European city was a great and new experience. The announcers spoke totally in Dutch so I didn't know everything going on. The rest of the gang came down later and met us at the finish line and we all took the train back to Bedum. He was the first American to finish in the race.

Wakers, Sleepers, and Dreamers

Yesterday, we went up to the North Sea to Noord Polder Zijl and saw the dikes - the Waker, the Sleeper and the Dreamer. We stopped in the coffee shop there and Mom, Marianna & Paula acted it out:


Sleeper, Dreamer, and........................Waker

I Have Found You, Kunte Kinte!

The Zijl Family Reunion, 2007

Het Loo

Ok, it's back to English now. On our way up to Bedum, we stopped by the palace of Queen Wilhelmina. We each bought a pill box (and one for Andrea too) so that we could remember Oma and her pill parties every time we need to take a pill from our purse.

Nieuw Bericht

I went in to blogger here to write a post and it's all in Dutch even on the English laptop John brought. I'll try to post later - today is the family reunion!

Saying Good-bye

Edward & Maria leaving for school

This morning, I said good-bye to the kids. They didn't quite get why I wanted to take their picture, but I think it was because I wanted to carry a piece of them inside my camera across the ocean. Then I went and accidentally deleted it while uploading it to the computer. Oh well, I have other pictures to take along.

Bedum Bound

I'm so excited!

In less than 24 hours, I'll be leaving on a trip to the Netherlands for a family reunion in Groningen and to visit my dad's birthplace in Bedum. I'm going to meet the rest of the gang (Mom, Dad, Mar, Will & Paula) as we change planes in the Detroit airport and get on the same flight to Amsterdam. John will join us Friday.

As Paula would say, "Beeda-Bodda-Booda-Bodda-Bidda-Bodda-Bedum"

Maybe I can blog from abroad. Now that would be an experience.

General Revelation

Bridget journaling under a tree

Bridget's enthusiastic science teacher has given them an assignment to do a plot study for the next few months. It's the same time-tested assignment that Edward and Maria did back in seventh grade and now, it's finally Bridget's turn. Every week or so she will have to go back to the same place and make observations for a half an hour.
At school the other night, her science teacher told us that in many school, kids look at the wonders of science and say "wow", but in our school, we look at all the wonders, then we look up and say, "WOW!"

Piece of Pie

Yesterday, a friend of mine at work brought in a pie with raspberries she had picked from her garden. When you think about how work is (especially at a non-profit), you can imagine what a bright spot this pie was to our morning. I took a bite, and the flavor burst in my mouth like the best thing in the whole world at that second. I told her I wished I had my camera with me because the pie looked so bloggable. Then, this morning, Mom sent me a picture of the elderberry pie she had made from elderberries from Amish country. She hadn't made or eaten one for 15 years because they are rather rare. I wonder how it tasted - I don't remember.

Flash Back Friday 35

The Blogger, 1981
What was she thinking?

Hot Cross Buns

Yesterday, we went to a cross-country race in 100 degree weather. It was hot enough to spectate, and hotter yet for the runners. I still took some pictures.

Big Yellow Bus

Bridget just wishing that lady with the camera would go away this morning.


Free at last!