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 |
.jpg)
