Final days in Florida and our COVID-tested flight home

There was so much up in the air that it was very difficult to figure out our return plans. While we were in Florida, The Netherlands announced a countrywide lockdown beginning on December 15th. Restaurants and bars had already been closed, but now schools and all non-essential stores were closed as well.  Schools were scheduled to be closed until January 18th so we considered staying longer, not thrilled to return to a lockdown. Then Pete found out that seniors were exempt from the lockdown so he would need to return to teach in person on the 5th (boo), but that ISA was going to stay open for emergency care for teacher's kids (YAY!). I still wasn't mentally prepared to leave Florida yet. The ultimate deciding factor was the ability to transfer my flight with the kids to a new pilot "COVID tested" flight with Delta/KLM. We would get tested 5 days before departure, do a rapid test in Atlanta before boarding, and a final PCR test at Schiphol. If all tests came back negative, we would be exempt from the 10-day quarantine when we returned home. I was not looking forward to being stuck indoors in the dead of winter for 10 days with the kids so I made the decision to come home on the 30th, giving the kids and me 4 more days with my parents. I was already scheduled to work that week, thinking we'd be back home, but it worked out well to work normal US hours while my parents watched the kids. I wasn't looking forward to doing the long travel again on my own, especially with a red-eye, but figured if Pete returned home before us, he could get over jetlag to help me when we got back. 

Having made the decision, the kids and I got enjoy a few more days in the sun. A big highlight was driving to see the manatees, who come into the canals in my parents' neighborhood when it gets cold. I also tracked down rocket popsicles, helped finish a puzzle and made a last minute Amazon Fresh order of my favorite cheese from California, which I brought back to Amsterdam (shh, don't tell the border agents!). Less fun tasks were figuring out how to get everything home on my own (I usually leave the tricky packing up to Pete) and dealing with some drama surrounding my profession certification renewal. 

We had a very memorable travel experience home. First, we checked everything in in Miami after begging the check in man to take my carryons so I wouldn't have too much luggage to deal with. I let the kids run all their crazy out in the very quiet Miami airport. Once in Atlanta, we had to change terminals (fun on the airtrain again) and stopped for dinner in a very busy domestic terminal. The kids were the most civilized of Wendy's dinner consumers. Then we made our way to the deserted international terminal. We had a specific gate to go to for our COVID tested flight program. We were escorted there, a woman checked our negative PCR test results, I filled out a questionaire and then we went in for the rapid antigen testing. Only I needed to do this and the kids loved watching. Then we sat in an empty room that had chairs spaced every 6 feet apart. There were two televisions on the wall. One showing scenes of the Netherlands and the other showing scenes of Italy (their two pilot destinations were Amsterdam and Rome). The kids were given coloring books and we waited the 15 minutes or so for the results. My boarding pass got a special stamp and then we waited in a terminal with the other 10 or so passengers that were on our entire flight home. People had to self select this flight and US citizens are not allowed in Europe without residency.

Hillariously, our seats were right in front of two friends traveling together and caddy corner from another traveler. The rest of the back of the plane was completely empty. Why did they seat us so close together? It was 10pm by that point and I told the kids they could be on their ipads until we were in the air. They didn't protest one bit when I took them away and settled them in for bed. Maeve got the entire 4 seat middle row, I moved Jude to the 3 seats to the right and I took the 3 seats to the left. Dinner, a movie, and a glass of wine and then I was out like the kids. When we arrived in Amsterdam, we were ushered off the plane to a special testing area, where I had a nasal PCR test administered. I would receive my results later that evening. Unfortunely, Pete wasn't allowed into the airport or train terminal. He had to wait behind guards at the entrance to the parking area and we were all very happy to see him! 

It is easy to say in retrospect that we were so glad we made the trip, given that no one got sick. Of course it could have gone another way. It doesn't look like borders are opening up anytime soon and this was the only way we were going to get to see the grandparents. So we are glad that we seized the opportunity and had a safe, memorable trip. Now we wait to see how things look for our hopeful summer trip home... 

A Very Merry Christmas 2020

I got exactly what I wanted this Christmas, and it wasn't anything that was under the tree. Having spent the previous week isolated with Oma and Opa, we felt comfortable inviting them down to spend Christmas together with my parents. The pod squad was complete! The kids were over the moon to have the attention of both sets of grandparents and we were so happy to be with all of our parents. 

First things first, quarantine haircuts

In between present wrapping and final Christmas prep, we enjoyed the great weather, games, and dips in the pool. All of a sudden, it was Christmas eve. We enjoyed a lasagna dinner before the Christmas Eve service at my parent's church. They had arranged a single, outdoor service where the congregants could stay in their cars and listen in through the radio or bring lawn chairs and spread out in the parking lot facing the church. It was a beautiful evening and it was one of the most memorable Christmas Eve services. During Silent Night, while the flame was being passed around, paper lanterns were lit and sent into the sky, framed by palm trees. Really special. 

The kids loved shaking all of the presents that were out under the tree before Santa came and were very excited to open one each before the service. Maeve opened a very cool LED writing pad from Uncle Matt and Aunt Krista and used it to write a letter and draw a picture for Santa. 

We were all disappointed that the children's service with performance couldn't happen this year. Jude was very responsible with his lit candle though. 

Back at home, we tracked Santa online before sending the kids off to bed with visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads. 

Christmas morning was a wonderful blur. Maeve plowed through her presents, Jude savored his a bit more. All the same, we were finished opening in time for a sit-down breakfast. 

Nana read a lot of Magic Treehouse books to Jude in the past year and made him a wall hanging. Maeve got the rolling Frozen suitcase she had been talking about for weeks.  

Oma got the kids fun bathrobes! 

The whole family got gear from my aunt and cousin's new webshop: Travelybug! Check them out for cute t-shirts and mugs!  

There was one very special present for the kids under the tree. Pops created a prototype for the Dutch Canal Dollhouse he created for the kids! The kids got to unwrap it and help put it together. He will make it out of wood next and then we'll figure out how to get it! He and Nana made a dollhouse for my sister and me when I was Jude's age and he's already constructed one for Peyton. A great retirement side hobby! 

Pop's made jambalaya for Christmas dinner, a new yummy tradition! 

Sadly, the party had to come to an end. Pete had to leave the day after Christmas to get home in time to quarantine before school was set to begin January 5th. Oma and Opa planned to leave that day as well to make their way to North Carolina to celebrate Christmas with Matt, Krista, and Addy. Everyone left with very full hearts for the special time we'd had together! 

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea with Oma and Opa

It seemed to be enough of a risk just flying to America so we decided that once we were there, we wouldn't travel around. Pete's parents told us early on that they would be willing to come down to Florida to see us. They scrapped their original plans to fly and spent 4 days driving 1,500 miles to be with us. We were very grateful! We wanted some alone time with them so they rented a house in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. We spent 5 days together, enjoying each other's company at the rental house, the playgrounds, and the beach. 

We got the joyous reunion we had been waiting for when we pulled up to the rental house. Oma and Opa hadn't seen the kids in 14 months! The pool was gloriously heated and thankfully we spent most of the 1st day in it because the heat pump, unfortunately, broke after that. 

Oma and Opa had also been reading bedtime stories to Jude over facetime for the past 6 months and it was so nice for them to get to do it in person. They read The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe recently and then got to watch the movie together. 

 

Day 2 was a beach day and we found a special someone at the beach! 2020 photos with Santa- check! 

We were tickled that we were in the States to get to enjoy the Sweetback Sisters Christmas Sing-a-long virtually through Zara's streamed Christmas spectacular. Oh how we've missed seeing them perform since we've lived in Europe! A very fun night watching it all unfold from the comfort of our living room. 

We found a playground all to ourselves to play and have a picnic. Except we were not alone. A giant iguana lived in every palm tree and it was really fun watching them walk, run, and fight in the trees! 

The kids received Christmas money from their great-grandparents. This is Maeve's ecstatic face! (not pictured the 20 dollar bill that fell to the floor). Pete and I had made a Target run the week before, and we decided this time we'd bring the kids so they could pick out toys for themselves. Imagine the sheer joy upon their faces entering Target for the first time in their lives and seeing the endless toy section. Oh American excess. So great. So terrible. 

For some reason, it was a challenge getting these kids to leave the house to go to the beach. So the Target run got us out of the house and then we headed to the beach. It was still pretty cloudy so we decided to visit the playground first. The kids busted out their new toys (Pokemon cards and some dragon card game). They made fast friends with a group of kids who we later learned were podded together while distance learning. The kids and the moms were welcoming of us and super intrigued about our life abroad. I felt so socially awkward. It felt like forever since I'd talked in-person to a peer, let alone a stranger. 

Oma and Opa joined us and we made our way to the beach where the clouds had cleared and the sun was shining! Pete and Opa procured to-go mojitos and icecream for the kids and it was a really nice day. The hours quickly passed and it was almost time for the sunset. I'd been dying to sit on the beach for a sunset so we asked Oma and Opa if they would take the kids home so Pete and I could stay a bit longer. Our first date in 2 months :) 

Someone is going to have to give me some advice on getting kids to cooperate for photos! 

Bliss

One final day in Lauderdale spent back at the playground with their new friends and then the beach. It was warm enough that Pete and Jude braved getting in! 

We had not one, but two taco take-away dinners from a local restaurant. And so many cookies! A really nice trip relaxing by the beach!