January update

Hello everybody! We are trying hard to get used to our normal life, and with some success. We are doing all kinds of nice things, but also have to go to work and school again. Dide and Ties are getting used to it and like going to school. At work I am making a presentation to tell about my experiences and impressions from the US. It is odd that we are already thinking back of the exchange period and it makes me realize even more what a good time we had.

We suffer from the regular winter troubles like ear infections and other non-serious illnesses, but there is really nothing to complain. Last weekend, Saskia went to a sauna with her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, and Dide and Ties went to a swimming pool with their little niece Lieve. Good times, that is what we missed in living far from family.

We did receive the license to officially drive our US imported car in The Netherlands, that was the result of a lot of paper efforts. And the rest of the paperwork is also done, as far as we know now. Going back was definitely easier for us than moving to the US, still relatively stress free. We do find many little things in the house that break and need some attention, but nothing to serious.

Our plans to extend the house are sort of getting on track. We have somebody making the official drawings for our application of the building permit, it will at least take a couple of months to get it all approved, but at least we got it moving now. Great plans and nice outlook! Upon completion it will be even easier for all your international visitors to stay here for a while.

Earlier this week, Ties had a Skype appointment with his Deerfield class. He liked it a lot. The connection wasn't great, so it was not so easy to understand all the kids, but it was doable.

We think about Deerfield a lot and miss you all.

Go Bears, go! We will follow Saturday's game. Good luck to all your sports fans.