Hi Everyone! This is just a short note to let you know that we arrived safely to Holland from Istanbul. I'll post more on Istanbul shortly, but I have to share this part of the adventure while it is still fresh. The plane delayed from the morning to the night, then it delayed another hour! So, we missed the night train to Gouda (where my aunt lives) and had to wait until 4 AM for the next trains. The first is a pic of me all wrapped up on the second train with my luggage (my mom fell asleep, so I was intently looking and listening so we wouldn't miss the stop - though my eyes were playing tricks on my and kept trying to close.
When we arrived there was no one in sight. For the first time in the trip I felt a bit abandoned, ha! The Lord, the sweetie that He always is, cheered me up in a simple and special way. When we arrived up the stairs (yes, carrying up our heavy suitcase) there was some beautiful English Christmas songs ringing in the air - reminding us that He was there. We didn't find a cab and didn't know how to contact one and the last we had heard, my aunt's husband was out early with the car. So we walked for 45 minutes or so at 6 AM (the sun rises at 8:30) in weather 5 degrees below zero through the city of Gouda trying to follow the scribbled written instructions we had for getting to my aunt's house (taking turns to run to street corners to see if we have the right street before lugging the suitcases in that direction). I have never felt so cold and I imagined how Scott must have felt on his way to the south pole, ha! My nose was completely numb and for a second I thought I had frostbite. But it was fun and quite the adventure - though without the suitcases would have been best, ha! Everyone is skating and sliding around the ice out the window, and there are little kids too- it's so cool! Here is a pic of the view out the window right now
and then one of my mom and I standing on the frozen cannal by a frosty bush (don't worry, we weren't out in those clothes, we had already arrived and jumped out for a pic). 
And last there is another of the rose hips covered with frost.
Tomorrow is the shortest day of winter, and we're going to try to go ice skating too! We're at my aunt's right now and tomorrow we will go to our other Aunt's.
Thanks for keeping us in your prayers - I'll post more soon. Lots of love.
When we arrived there was no one in sight. For the first time in the trip I felt a bit abandoned, ha! The Lord, the sweetie that He always is, cheered me up in a simple and special way. When we arrived up the stairs (yes, carrying up our heavy suitcase) there was some beautiful English Christmas songs ringing in the air - reminding us that He was there. We didn't find a cab and didn't know how to contact one and the last we had heard, my aunt's husband was out early with the car. So we walked for 45 minutes or so at 6 AM (the sun rises at 8:30) in weather 5 degrees below zero through the city of Gouda trying to follow the scribbled written instructions we had for getting to my aunt's house (taking turns to run to street corners to see if we have the right street before lugging the suitcases in that direction). I have never felt so cold and I imagined how Scott must have felt on his way to the south pole, ha! My nose was completely numb and for a second I thought I had frostbite. But it was fun and quite the adventure - though without the suitcases would have been best, ha! Everyone is skating and sliding around the ice out the window, and there are little kids too- it's so cool! Here is a pic of the view out the window right nowand then one of my mom and I standing on the frozen cannal by a frosty bush (don't worry, we weren't out in those clothes, we had already arrived and jumped out for a pic). And last there is another of the rose hips covered with frost.Tomorrow is the shortest day of winter, and we're going to try to go ice skating too! We're at my aunt's right now and tomorrow we will go to our other Aunt's.
Thanks for keeping us in your prayers - I'll post more soon. Lots of love.
't charge well, but PTL). I don't have any pix of the arrival day, but the trip went very well, I didn't get lost or lose anything (except that I did THINK I lost my camera at one point, thankfully it was on my lap, ha!). As soon as I arrived I was escorted by my aunt to my grandma's for a delicious dutch dinner of steamed broccoli and green beans, boiled Dutch potatoes, salad, meat stew, and cherry/berry juice - a typical farmers meal, I guess. From there my mom, aunt and I headed to see my grandfather at the hospital. He was very sad because the doctors say he can't go home anymore because he is too fragile, but we were able to give him lots of love and encourage him too.
The first pic is of the second day, on our way to see my grandpa again, this time with my grandmother and mom, by cab. Check out the modern windmills by a farm. Notice that the land is completely flat.Next there is an old fashioned one - we didn't get to see it up close because both pix were taken from inside the cab.
On the third pic you'll see my grandparents and mom at the hospital and behind them is the leather ship picture I gave grandpa.
Then there is a pic of me by one of the canals that are EVERYWHERE! The weather is still pleasant (for this time of year) and there has not been any snow yet, there are even some flowers. I missed kids so much, and watching the little rosy-cheeked, bundled up dutchlings that made their way back from school made me want to squish them as only Jaden understands, ha.
Next is one of my mom and I in the little village of Zeewolden when we went to shop for my grandma. We're eating nothing other than the dutch traditional french fries with mayonnaise (don't cringe, ha).
We left for the airport to get our plane to Turkey with a friend at 11:30 PM after seeing my little cousin, uncle and his wife, in the last pic. Stay tuned for the next post - all about Turkey (you DON'T want to miss that ;) )
