2012 in brief

What a year! Where does one even begin? There is so much that has happened, and so many simply massive changes in our lives.

We are immensely grateful to all our family and friends who have held us and supported us through this year of upheaval, even when they were less than willing to really let us go.

It is an age of wonder we live in, when we can just switch on the computer and we find our families and friends just waiting to talk and chat with us like we were all in the same room. I’m sure this has helped more than anything to alleviate the effects of homesickness and culture shock. Though the odd care package hasn’t gone astray either! Thank you everyone!

It’s been a year of firsts for us. (in no particular order)

• First house (apartment) for Himself.
• First time in Europe for me.
• First time in Dubai too. (Do stopovers count?)
• First trip to a country whose first language isn’t English (and isn’t a colony of the Commonwealth).
• Longest flight for me.
• First international train trip.
• First time in Paris.
• First Dutch wedding.
• First snow.
• First Summer birthday for me.
• Driving on the wrong side of the road …

Some of the sights we’ve seen for the first time included
• The World Heritage listed canals of Amsterdam.
• Rijksmuseum.
• Windmills.
• Nemo.
• Artis.
• De Keukenhoff.
• Le Louvre.
• Eiffel Tower.
• My first Palace!
• Sacre Coeur.
• Montmartre.

We’ve observed/taken part in our first
• Queen’s Day.
• Liberation Day.
• Amsterdam Pride.
• Turning on the Lights.
• Sinterklaas.
• Christmas Light Parade.

… and of course there has been much, much more.

It’s hard to know what to say in a blog post, more difficult than I could have imagined to sum up in words; But if I could share the feeling of love and security with all of you over the airwaves and cables of the internet I would.

Thank you all for your love and support this year, and may 2013 bring you peace, joy, and happiness.

Hope to see you all again in the New Year! May the Adventures continue!