In the time we have had our future on hold I have gone through three laptops, three winter coats, gained more than 30 pounds, worried more than I thought was possible, had moments when I just thought I couldn't do it any longer, lived in four different houses, visited over ten different countries, and flown across the Atlantic a total of eight times. I can now say with relief and joy in my heart... my husband's visa has been approved and he will be returning to the U.S. in just a couple weeks!
In December of 2014 I had only been married for a few months, I had never been out of the country, and I did not realize just how much I had to learn about life.
Now, almost seventeen months later, here I am, feeling like a completely different person. As the days go by, people change, we learn more about ourselves, and we learn more about life.
In the fall of 2014 I became Pieter Tramper's wife and we began our life together. As newlyweds, we anxiously anticipated our trip to Arnemuiden, Netherlands to visit his family for just three weeks. We made plans for me to visit family members, participate in traditions, and for us to have a Dutch wedding. Learning about their food, language, and lifestyle was all so interesting and overwhelming in those three weeks.
January 8th, 2015 is when Pieter and I said a sad good-bye to his relatives and boarded the plane back to the U.S. We were thrilled to see what 2015 had in store for us! I was going to go back to school to get my medical assistant certification and Pieter was going to work at Brethren Woods again.
After a whole day of traveling and a night spent at a Swedish airport getting no sleep, we made it to America, tired, sick, and smelly. Together we went through the motions of security checks and baggage claims, but at customs my husband was pulled to the side and was denied access into the United States due to an invalid visa.
Fast forward through the most traumatizing night of my life, I found myself back in the airport the next day, praying harder than I ever had in my life. God answered prayer and reunited us once again. Back in Europe, we realized just how dreadful our situation was.
I was in Holland until the end of February and then made the decision to be apart from my husband for five months. We were devastated by the harsh reality, being that this was our first year as husband and wife.
Upon returning to the Netherlands in August, the weather was warm and beautiful. We began making plans to have a life there. We bought a car, rented a home, went on trips, bought groceries together every Saturday morning, and started making memories. This took away from the frustration of paperwork and the realization that my husband was not allowed in my country.
I flew back to America to be with my family over the holidays that winter. I planned to only be there for only a few weeks, but due to the Netherlands tourist visa rules, I was not allowed back for another two months. I flew back at the end of February in 2016 and now, here we are!
Back and forth I have gone, up and down in the sky, over the ocean, and back onto land. I am grateful to have had that extended time to get to know my Dutch relatives. There is now a special place in my heart for that beautiful country and the wonderful people I met there.
As many of you have taken this journey with us and read through the frustration, sadness, and joy, I thank you! Knowing that we can begin building our life and living out our dreams soon is extraordinary! The moments I have longed for and imagined in my head throughout this time will all be coming true. Thanks to your prayers, God has heard our hearts, taught us patience, and seen us through this long, difficult time.
Stay tuned to see what's next for us in this big adventure called life!
Fast forward through the most traumatizing night of my life, I found myself back in the airport the next day, praying harder than I ever had in my life. God answered prayer and reunited us once again. Back in Europe, we realized just how dreadful our situation was.
I was in Holland until the end of February and then made the decision to be apart from my husband for five months. We were devastated by the harsh reality, being that this was our first year as husband and wife.
Upon returning to the Netherlands in August, the weather was warm and beautiful. We began making plans to have a life there. We bought a car, rented a home, went on trips, bought groceries together every Saturday morning, and started making memories. This took away from the frustration of paperwork and the realization that my husband was not allowed in my country.
I flew back to America to be with my family over the holidays that winter. I planned to only be there for only a few weeks, but due to the Netherlands tourist visa rules, I was not allowed back for another two months. I flew back at the end of February in 2016 and now, here we are!
Back and forth I have gone, up and down in the sky, over the ocean, and back onto land. I am grateful to have had that extended time to get to know my Dutch relatives. There is now a special place in my heart for that beautiful country and the wonderful people I met there.
As many of you have taken this journey with us and read through the frustration, sadness, and joy, I thank you! Knowing that we can begin building our life and living out our dreams soon is extraordinary! The moments I have longed for and imagined in my head throughout this time will all be coming true. Thanks to your prayers, God has heard our hearts, taught us patience, and seen us through this long, difficult time.
Stay tuned to see what's next for us in this big adventure called life!
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