Today it is a year ago...

While it was still dark in the early morning that my parents arrived to wave us goodbye.

When the taxi arrived we loaded up everything that wasn't on it's way already, a few suitcases, a few bags and two nervous dogs. 

A few last hugs and we were on our way to the airport and our new home in the US.

It is hard to believe it really has been a year already.

So many things happened and time has flown by and I think we are doing fine.

To start of with the easy ones, the dogs are doing great together and Cara is even flourishing thanks to the men in this household. She loves to boss them around.

My son did well in school last year, when asked he will tell you that he liked how friendly everyone in school is and even though he had English lessens for one year in the Netherlands, his grades get better and better. It is just too bad he isn't really into the sport culture over here sine they would have liked for him to start football.  

A few days ago he started highschool and that is another adjustment for him, but I am sure he'll be fine.

The one thing he doesn't like here are the vaccinations that are mandatory for schoolkids here. The last year he had a total of 5 vaccinations and at least one more to go in the near future.

He is the only one who got to go back for a few weeks. He spent 7 weeks with family and his dad.

If all goes as planned, we hope to visit the Netherlands this winter, but it isn't sure yet.

Have to say, besides visiting family I don't really feel the need yet to go back.

I think I kinda like it here. I certainly don't miss the days of rain, getting wet on the bike going to work or having to struggle with the wind 2 times a day while on the bike since the wind always seemed to change.

Off course there are things I miss but there is also a lot that I got back for it.

LOL, I was never before this tanned, even with staying inside at the air conditioning for whole days this summer. And I am certainly not complaining about wearing only shorts for 4 months now. 

In general, I love it here.

Love how friendly and encouraging people are here. Love the hills in Pennsylvania and when we get into the car I still feel like I am on vacation. Too busy to look around to keep up a conversation.

I love the weather even though it can be extremely hot or cold here. 

We live in a nice neighborhood with friendly people and we are working on the house to make it 'our' home. 

Jack and I are doing great, we found that we love doing a lot of the same stuff and we are doing them.

We love going out, walk and see things, wether it is nature or going to museums, we enjoy doing them.

Slowly we are finding new things for our house and find we like what the other picks.

The biggest chance for me was going back to be a stay at home mom. For now it works out because it gives me time to work on my photography and it looks like it may evolve into a real job for me.

And I think that if you ask Jack, the biggest chance for him as having a family again, living together in the house.

Meaning that he has a wife that nags at times and a teenager that can be a handfull. But I have the feeling that he secretly likes that.

He'd better since I am not going anywhere, I am staying.

ps, I'll pick up blogging over the next days. 

Had a bit of a blogblock I think, but can think of so many things I would like to write about, I think I am good for a bit.

                                                                  Jack walking our Spanish girls in Cape May this summer.