Kevin and Jess are living the life we left behind, raising their son in brownstone Brooklyn, juggling jobs and day care and family visits. We loved hearing about their life in the city and look forward to seeing it first hand when we visit New York next month. After a much needed sleep in from a super long day of travel plus 21 months of being parents, we finally allowed Jude to wake our guests. We had prepped him that they would be there when he got home from school, but in the end he was asleep before they arrived. So he just couldn't contain his excitement. He saw them both the last time we were in NYC, two summers ago so he didn't remember them, but was still so excited that they were here.
Having both been to Amsterdam before, our guests were happy to just hang with us and the kids. We took the tram into the city and wandered de Pijp, stopping for a typical Dutch lunch with beers before it was time to say goodbye. Thankfully it is not goodbye for long. Jude wanted to know when they would be coming back and told us that he wanted them to stay forever and ever. Us, too!
Which leads me to our next goodbye. Pete's coworker/boss-man Paul, who got Pete the job that allowed us to realize our dream of living abroad, is moving back to the US with his family. The decision was made this spring and surprised us all. While we don't see each other as much as we'd like with work, life and travels, knowing that someone connected to our past was here was really comforting. It is hard to imagine an Amsterdam without them. Thankfully last night's going away party also was not "goodbye" as we will be overlapping for a few days in Sardinia later this month and staying at the resort that Andrea found. They are now representing the future chapter of our lives where we say goodbye to expat life and repatriate to America- something that we know will be really bittersweet when the time comes.
And in between the goodbyes yesterday, yet another "pre"-goodbye. An Amstelveen British expat friend who has been here for ages also shocked us all with her news of moving to London for her husband's work. We have a few more months left together so we will capitalize on that time- starting with their son, Oliver's 3rd birthday party yesterday. A super sweet Planes themed party at the Robbeburg International Play Group. This Sarah and James are moving near our other Sarah and James friends in London (not to be confused with our other British Sarah and James friends who are staying in Amstelveen!!) so we are sure we'll meet up again after their move.
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