10/24/2019 Update

It is a crisp, warm day in the sunshine here in the Shenandoah Valley. On my to do list is laundry, dishes, sweeping the kitchen, and completing several assignments that are due in just a few days. 

On a whim, back in August, I gave Liberty University a call to inquire about continuing my education with online classes. After completing the Medical Assistant program, many people (including myself) wondered, what's next? Not wanting to receive just another certification and declining the opportunity to climb the corporate ladder at my current job, I took the plunge and enrolled, fulltime, back into Liberty University online. I am now working towards my Bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration. 

It has taken us a while to settle into a healthy and happy routine where I juggle all of my different hats, but I think we have finally found it! I work weekends as a waitress at Cracker Barrel and then work 20-30 hours a week at urgent care medical assisting and loving it! Oftentimes, as I am caring for a patient and getting their blood pressure, I will remember back to last fall- I was just learning how to take blood pressures and practicing on my family. Now I perform this task successfully and efficiently 20+ times a day! 

Another huge change came our way in May of this year and again in September when my mom was offered a job in Wilmington, North Carolina. As my dad had been in search of a stable position here in the valley for well over a year, they decided it was best for her to accept the offer and take the chance on a new adventure! Mom moved in May and was able to come back and visit a few times, making the change not seem too permanent then, after all, dad still remained nearby and my brother Cliff was back for the summer to lifeguard at the Edinburg pool. Reality hit like a sack full of cement when my mom returned at the end of August, they packed up the remainder of their personal possessions and headed south together. 

My parents have always been nearby, and while we don't have the kind of relationship where we "hang out" and "chill" together, their presence in my life has always been a vital component to my day-to-day routine. Those three month stretches when I was away in the Netherlands for long periods of time were emotionally draining, for the very reason of being apart from family.

After analyzing why I feel the way I do about having my parents 8+ hours away, the core of the frustration came to light- I have found that it is less of a necessity for them to be here to care for me and more of a desire and a need I feel to be there to care for them. This is a conviction and loyalty that I have had since childhood, and it has simply never left, although deep down, I know they are just fine without me. 

With their departure also left logistical issues. Somehow Pieter, myself, and my dad came up with an arrangement for us to rent their home for a while. It worked out, considering our rent had increased (alot) and mom and dad had no other interested parties in buying or renting the house at this time. 

So, now we maintain a beautiful and rustic old farmhouse, we've taken in the family cat (as he sort of came with the house), and we press forward! Oddly enough I have found some of my most content and comfortable moments in this home in the past few weeks... something about those apple spice candles flickering, the fire in the wood stove blazing, and the sunset peering through the hundred year old windows that makes you feel like you're being hugged from all sides- it's a brisk reassurance this time of year when you realize everything is working out just fine. 

Hampton- technically my brother's cat, but a grouchy little companion to everyone in the family. No one else's landlord would allow him to accompany them on their journeys, therefore he's stuck in Woodstock for a little while longer. He and Nicholas have become great playmates. 

Finding the Time

Three and a half years in the making, THIS is what we were waiting for- life together!

 After Pieter arrived in September, I jumped right into my CCMA (Certified Clinical Medical Assistant) classes, which took up two of my evenings during the week and every other evening I was working. Thankfully, we have learned to use what time we have together, wisely.

The greatest addition to our lives joined us in December. Nicholas, a now nine month old blond tabby, has brought such joy and laughter to our home. He and Pieter have become great buds as they spend evenings together while I am at work. I think the little guy may even know some Dutch by now.

While juggling work and class, we spent our winter months watching "Downton Abbey" and "Superstore", studying flashcards on medical terms and CCMA guidelines, and tossing cough drops for little Nicholas to pounce on and retrieve.

After passing the CCMA national exam last month, I began a parttime internship at an urgent care facility in Harrisonburg. To my surprise, I was offered a fulltime position there just days after my first day of observing. This career shift has been a welcomed change and challenge for me! I see it as a brand new opportunity to learn hands-on in a clinical setting. So far I have performed and observed several new tests and techniques. It is gratifying to be able to say that I am learning something new everyday.

Trading the apron for the stethoscope! 

It was a long and tiring winter that seemed to never end. The cool spring evening breeze is now blowing in through our half-opened window, birds are chirping, and lawn mowers are buzzing! This is the time of year that I love!

All of our anticipation for summer is building up as Pieter prepares for his first summer back at Brethren Woods for summer camp. He has been diligently working on gaining several certifications to better equip himself with new skills. So far he has acquired a certification in CPR, Wilderness First Aid, Ropes Course Facilitating and Supervising, and, most recently, Lifeguarding. In the next few weeks he will also be completing Canoeing and Archery training. It is so rewarding for me to see him happy and excited about what he is doing in life. I am so very proud of him.

Harper's Ferry in March 2019

Our favorite ice cream stand just opened up down the road, so we celebrated the first spring day and all the new changes we have coming up, there, with a Reese's ice cream and a Smores' sundae.

I think that we are slowly figuring out how to be a "fulltime" married couple again, but it is a process that takes patience, understanding, and communication. I anticipate the next few months flying by as we have all eagerly been awaiting the warmth of the sunshine's return. So I encourage each of you, as well as myself, to try and use a "pause" button as you go through the next few weeks. Take a moment during your commute, or when you finally get a chance to sit down, to realize how amazingly blessed we really are.

Love to you all!
Pieter and Lydia

Our New Normal

Side by side, hand in hand, together again!

"It's an adjustment period" is what I tell people when they ask how it is to be on the other side of our 3.5 year journey to be together in the United States. While I am anxious to get past this time of "adjusting", I understand that it is necessary. I am grateful for this long-awaited outcome.

"Blessed" describes perfectly how we are feeling as big decisions have fallen right into place in the month of September. Pieter was offered the interim position as Program Director at Brethren Woods and is thoroughly enjoying all of the projects and responsibilities that come with that role. I am beyond relieved that he was able to return to Brethren Woods to fulfill his role there after having to resign so abruptly back in 2015. God works in mysterious ways for sure!

All in that same week we were offered a great deal on a vehicle for Pieter and he also passed his Virginia drivers license written and road test on the first try! Yay!

I am now officially back in school to get my Medical Assistant Certification and I am super pumped to develop all of these new skills! Yesterday, I purchased my first stethoscope and blood pressure cuff to use during labs. I am also juggling 38-40 hour work weeks and am genuinely curious how people do all of this (and more) with kids and other obligations and ever have any time for themselves!

Although this transition was inevitability necessary, I sometimes miss my adventurous and back and forth lifestyle. (Never thought I would say that!) There is hardly a day that goes by that I do not recognize how fortunate I was to be able to spend such valuable time with Pieter's family and in his hometown. I understand the way he thinks and does things so much better now that I have experienced firsthand how different his country and his culture is from mine.

We are able to incorporate small elements of Dutch culture in our life here and hope to do so more during holidays and as our family grows. Some of the little reminders we have placed around our apartment are pictured below. They help to keep our family that is so far away, seem a little bit closer. 

I am currently rationing the block of delicious Dutch cheese Pieter brought with him here, as it costs $12.99 for a tiny block of Dutch cheese at the grocery store.

We are simply taking it a day at a time for now. Every day I am thankful to come home to my husband laying on the couch reading a book_ laundry washed, dried, and folded; dishwasher emptied; and dinner on the stove. He is an incredible man and a gift to me. While I do miss that crazy time in my life just a little bit, I am curious to see how a settled, more consistent schedule, changes the way I live, think, and plan.

Moving Forward

Leaving was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Saying “good-bye” and not “see you in a few months” was difficult. I look forward to the vacations we will get to spend in the Netherlands and the future visits we’ll have with family and friends from Zeeland soon. They all hold such a special place in my heart and I am truly blessed to have spent such a significant amount of time there. A blessing in disguise indeed.

I returned to Virginia in early May and anticipated the arrival of Pieter just a few weeks later, who flew in mid-vacation in June. We enjoyed a week at the beach and then shared a few weeks of summer together before he had to return to the Netherlands for work.

Big changes are happening for us as we continue to set ourselves up for a successful future. Pieter will be returning to the U.S. mid-September once his work contract ends. We’ve signed for an apartment, starting searching for jobs for Pieter, and I will (finally) be returning to school in the fall to finish my certification classes! After three and a half years of maintaining an “up in the air” lifestyle, we are thrilled to be moving in a positive direction now and look forward to seeing what God has in store for our future together.

We have been feeling very blessed during this season of our lives- to still be together after all we’ve been through and to now be free to travel together to both of our home countries. How Great God is!

https://www.heikemartinphotography.com

Reflection

Here I am again! I left the hustle and bustle of my little world in Woodstock, Virginia and plunged right back into a slow and simple pace of Dutch living. This alone time is cleansing for me after so many fast paced weeks of work one after the other, leaving me feeling drained and exhausted. It is time for a spring renewal!

Greeted by beautiful tulips, thank you Oma and Opa!

I just got back from a brisk walk on this cool, spring afternoon. I have to admit, this time here has me a bit conflicted. Having been here a few short months ago, I spent the majority of my time convincing myself I was strong enough to build a life here with my husband. I pictured myself thriving in this environment and put together a plan to help myself succeed. We bought furniture and appliances, we made goals and dreams together, and we built a foundation here.

I did not expect it to be so hard to say good-bye to a chapter in life that was filled with so much pain, confusion, uncertainty, and fear. This is my ninth trip to the Netherlands since we embarked on our original journey back in 2014. I have spent nearly twenty-one months here collectively and this place, over time, became a part of who I am. 

It has been an amazing journey that brought us to where we are today. I have learned more about myself and this world in the months I have spent here than I ever would have if I this had never happened. Now, in a couple weeks, all the memories we have made here will be just that, memories- incredible experiences and adventures that we will have to look back on for all the years to come.

I cannot help but feel so overwhelmingly grateful for having been brought out of a great valley, onto the top of a mountain as we now look into the future!

Until next time, be encouraged today in knowing that wherever He leads you, He will not leave you. Wherever He calls you, He will make a way. Do not fret in trying to figure out the details of this life, just take His hand as He leads you on this journey of life we are blessed to live. 

In June, Pieter will visit the U.S again. He will be there for just a few weeks to enjoy summer weather in the States, to volunteer at Brethren Woods, and to catch up with friends again. He will return in the fall to live there full-time. We are currently in search of a short-term rental for the month of June (June 5th-June 29^th). Something within 35 miles of Woodstock, so I can still commute to work. Nothing fancy, just a space we can call our own for a short time as we continue this transition. Contact me via facebook or email (lydia.croom@gmail.com) if you know of any affordable rentals in the area.

He Made It

In my mind I had imagined so many times how this day would go. There would be balloons, confetti, parades, fireworks, and banners! Pieter would walk through the doors and the crowd would cheer!

Nope. Today consisted of an exhausted wife with an ear infection, sitting in a huge crowd of people at 'Arrivals', praying everything would work out okay. Anticipating the absoluet worst. Waiting for that “something's wrong” text she had received from her husband three years ago upon his denial into the US. I located a convenient and comfy spot with my laptop bag and tote bag in tow. I was prepared to campout there for a few hours, expecting complications.

Just thirty minutes after Pieter's scheduled landing, my tall, lanky, handsome, Dutch husband walked through those doors! No one else in the room knew what was going on in that moment, but my heart fluttered as I ran to him. In that instant, the crowd disappeared and I thought “He made it!” Relief came over me as I knew it was finally all over.

Today marked the end of a long, three year journey that a lot of you have taken with us on this blog. You have heard the ups and downs of this process and shared and supported us during each of them, for that, we thank you!

Of course, with us, it's never a dull moment! Pieter, in his haste to make it through Customs and Border Security, forgot his suitcase at baggage claim. (We'll head back to the airport after dinner to retrieve it) I took exactly three wrong turns on our way out of the airport, after forgetting to pay for parking, and then losing my cash to pay for parking! Nevertheless, we were together, and that was all that mattered.

I am reminded that a few months back we were convinced that this very day would never be possible. We were put in a place where we had to decide what we would do if Pieter's paperwork had not been approved and he was declared “inadmissible” to the United States. With that possibility lingering in our minds, we moved forward and grew in amazing ways as we encountered each opportunity and obstacle that came our way!

Today, I am truly thankful. For the journey, for the many friends and family that helped me along the way, for the strong man I call my husband, and for the God I live for- knowing had it not been for Him, none of this would have been possible.   

First flight to the Netherlands together back in December 2014!

Valentine's Day 2015

Paris July 2016

Safari Park 2017

Sunsets in Vlissingen! 

April 2016

Christmas Markets in Germany 2016

Morocco December 2016

Austria 2015

Italy 2015

Dutch Wedding 01/02/2015

Blank Slate

I stepped out of my warm, eucalyptus-filled bedroom into the hallway where I imagined Pieter standing in the doorway to surprise me with his return. This has been a regular occurrence during many lonely evenings in the past three years, but tonight it seemed almost as if it could be possible. I shuffled back to my bedroom in my over-sized slippers after filling up my humidifier and got back to work, with the music turned up loud to drown out the silence.
I have had the busiest two days off trying to keep up with unavoidable responsibilities such as car maintenance, searching for apartments, grocery shopping, restarting my gym membership, and de-cluttering my bedroom. As I begin this new year, all that is missing is him...

My goals for this year are unusually abstract. I tend to appreciate having a well thought out plan of action, but all my plans tend to veer off into small trails of “what if's” and “maybe so's”. I just cannot seem to figure out where it is I am heading. Maybe you're feeling the same way this time of year when it seems like everyone else has it all figured out. But trust me, they don't.

I had convinced myself I was moving to the Netherlands in 2018. I will admit, running away from this chaos oftentimes seems appealing. My twenties will be half over in July and I feel as if I have very few of my personal goals accomplished. Some people long for a blank slate, but I am about to have one when my husband returns and I do not have a clue what the next chapter will hold!

We are now repeating all of the processes we went through last spring, before border security denied our paperwork. Today was the first appointment for the process in gaining our official marriage visa. Pieter reports that it went well. In two and a half weeks Pieter will have another appointment and after that we will be much closer to the end of all of this. We are excited to be together once again in February!