I decided to get off my butt or maybe that's sit on my butt and get back to the blog I have neglected the last few months. Guess I got carried away with baseball, football, and the holidays. What better way though to return than to reflect on my first year in the Netherlands and share some of my favorite memories.
Well, to begin, my language skills aren't quite where I thought they'd be right now, I thought by the end of the year I'd be fluent...hahahahaha...talk about unrealistic. While it may have been unrealistic, I am doing better just taking baby steps I guess. Bear with me, eventually I will get it. I have learned my way around the grocery stores, Overdinkel, Losser, and even a little of Gronau. I'm re-learning how to ride a bicycle..I swear they are different here....so I can get around a little more on my own. So I'm getting there, hopefully next year at this time I'll be doing even better.
Now on to my favorite memories of the year in no particular order.
Dec 25-26, 2009 (I have to include this as part of my year)
After surviving and escaping Tulsa, Oklahoma's first ever blizzard, 4 different airports, and more than 24 hours on planes and in airports I arrived at 15:45 on Dec 26th. The best thing about this...my Joost waiting for me on the other side of that window at Schipol. Waiting with a relieved smile, a teddy bear, hug, and a kiss...it was the most wonderful thing in the world. I was home, safe, and loved.
New family and friends
Meeting all my new family and friends was just as wonderful of an experience. Welcomed with open arms to say the least. Joost's parents are absolutely wonderful, his Mother was this wonderfully strong and welcoming woman, unfortunately I didn't get a chance to know her better as she passed last year. Joost's Father is a character, loveable and cute. When he smiles his eyes light up. I was blessed to get to spend a little time alone with both his parents and even without knowing the language I could tell there was a lifetime of love between them.
Also got to meet Joost's son, Timo, you may have seen him in a blog with Bas. A great young man and a typical teenager. Also had the privilege of meeting his two lovely nieces, Floor and Karlijn. Joost introduced me to many of his friends and we have had the pleasure of their company a few times. Everyone from family to friends have been most welcoming even when the language barrier sometimes intercedes I still know I am always welcome and I am thankful for that.
Bas!!!
How could I possibly review my year and leave out Bas. Bas, is our giant breed, Anatolian Shepherd we adopted from a divorcing couple last year. He's my boy! What else can I say?! He's a Momma's boy, that's for sure, but he has certainly provided us with a great deal of entertainment and alot of unconditional love as well. From his fear of bunnies to just his clumsy size he never fails to entertain. When you come home and you hear that "thump, thump, thump"of his tail you know he's just been dying waiting for you. And I'm sure he let all the neighbors know as well...he tends to howl and whine whenever we're both gone, but only because he loves us.
"Do You Believe It Ranger Fans?!"
"One ball, 2 strikes, 2 outs...6-1 the Rangers lead in the top of the 9th. Feliz, the high set, here comes the pitch....breaking ball...STRIKE 3 CALLED...THE RANGERS ARE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES!!!!!"
Ok, so this didn't happen in the Netherlands, but I was getting up at 2am most of the month of October just to see it. Joost went out and even bought new speakers for the computer for me just so I could hear the games without headphones. And what games they were.
As a Ranger fan you don't see much of the playoffs, usually the Rangers are out before the season is even over. The few times they have been, they lost dreadfully to the evil New York Yankees, in fact, they only won one game out of 13 playoff games. But our time had come. The Rangers won the West Division and went to the first round of playoffs against the Tampa Devil Rays beating them 3 games out of 5 to advance to the American League Championship Series. Who was waiting for them at the ALCS, none other than the Ranger killers themselves, the New York Yankees. Pretty much in baseball if you're not a Yankees fan then you really dislike the Yankees, but if you are a Boston, NY Mets, or a Rangers fan then you just downright hate them. For Ranger fans there is one player in particular we don't like, former Ranger Alex Rodriguez, a player who upon leaving Texas for the evil empire had more that a few insulting things to say about Texas, the ball club, his teammates, and Ranger fans. Needless to say, A-Rod (or A-Hole in Texas) is the for the most part...the most hated man in Texas. So in general...we don't like the Yankees. Facing them for the American League Championship was more than a bit daunting, but this was a different team than the one I watched with my Mom so many years ago. This team was having fun and they had heart...something the Yankees rarely have. But can heart beat the $220 million dollars the Yankees spent on players last year? Can this lowly $55 million team from Rangers even stand inside the same ballpark with them? YEP!!! They faced off with the Yankees winning the ALCS 4 games to 2, and the final out belonged to a rookie pitcher who threw a breaking ball right past rotten ol' A-Rod....how sweet it is!! The Rangers went on to make their first World Series appearance after 38 years in the Metroplex they had finally beaten the Yankees and were in the BIG SHOW! Which they, unfortunately, lost to the San Francisco Giants. What's funny though, if you ask a Rangers fan about losing the World Series, every one of them will smile and say "yea, but we beat the Yankees!" I loved watching every single game, I loved remembering how much my Mom loved the Rangers, and I loved remembering her as I watched. It was raining the night they beat out the Yankees...I think that's because my Mom was up there jumping up and down on the clouds celebrating.
World War II
Why is one of my favorite memories WW2? I am a history buff, in particular, World War II. I've read as much history as I can get my hands on, watched countless tv shows, movies, and documentaries, and I've even been to Pearl Harbor, but being here where so much more of it took place just takes my breath away. We went to the American cemetary in Margraten and visited the memorials. There's both a sadness and a pride that swells up when you see something like this. Sad to see that so many had to die, but proud of what they accomplished. After seeing something like this, I almost feel it is my duty to feel proud to be an American...because so many died to make sure we could. As we drove through the Limburg area last April, I couldn't help, but look out through the trees and just imagine everything that took place there so many years ago. I saw soldiers from both sides, resistance, bravery, and even fear. It was a frightening time and time we must always remember. We tend to push those events to the back of our minds except when a memorial holiday comes around, but in truth, we must always remember. It is both wonderful and sobering to see the places I've only read about. It's even more real when you see the schrapnel holes in the side of church or meet someone who lived through it. The best part is there is so much more for me to see and hopefully get an understanding off. Perhaps then I won't put it to back of my mind and only remember on holidays.
Well, those are my most favorite memories of 2009-2010, but not all of them. Honestly, there are too many to even post here, but they are all certainly memories I will always cherish.
Don't miss the next blog..Indiana Bas and the Woods Crusade!
Edited to fix spelling error...Margraten.
