Well, we have done it. We have decided to extend our contract here in the Netherlands. We are (somewhat) officially staying for 2 more years. "Somewhat" officially because Ryan hasn't actually signed the contract yet...but the negotiating is over with and the agonizing and praying and listing pros and cons is done. 2 more years! I'm happy and excited and sad and depressed about it all at the same time. And if you have ever lived overseas, I think you'll know exactly what I mean. I can easily compare it to my brothers serving missions for our church. With each one, as their two year service is coming to a close, we'd get this letter about how excited and how upset they are about it all at the same time. I think I finally have an idea of what the heck they were talking about.
One more thing I'll say about this extension, and then I'll shut up about it...sometimes I think if you are making a decision that you really feel is right and best for your family, all the cosmos align and all signs point to that good and right decision and everything works together to make that happen. And then sometimes, when you are making a decision that you really feel is right and best for your family, everything falls apart and it seems as though all the powers of darkness are working against you so that you will NOT make that decision and you just have to suck it up and soldier on and keep calm and all that. Well, that second scenario is kind of happening.
SO, we were hoping to stay in our house for 2 more years but our jerk landlord wants to sell it. This townhouse/apartment thing (I never know what to call it because I don't think they have anything like this in the states) is around 100 years old and the landlord completely gutted it and redid the whole thing before we moved in. He was hoping to flip the house and sell it quickly for a profit, only nothing was selling at the time so it just sat there. Then we came along and he decided that renting to us would be better then letting the house sit on the market for 2 years. So here we are. Now he doesn't want to wait two more years to sell (he wants to see a return on his investment...like I said, jerk). So, while I am still trying to figure out if he is just trying to milk us for more rent, if we can stay until the house is sold, etc. I am knee deep in the process of finding another place to live, which is a lovely idea when you are watching house hunters, but is really torture when it's your real life. So I thought I would post some pictures of our cozy house on Burgemeester Meineszlaan so we will always remember what our first 2 years was like here. Enjoy the tour!
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| The front hall |
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| Downstairs toilet - there's no sink in there. Weird, right? |
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| More downstairs hall |
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| Living room/office area - that desk is perpetually cluttered with mail and homework and such |
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| We were told not to hang too much on the walls - whatever that means. I found that giant sticker of major cities around the world and hung it - just to break up some of the whiteness. Also, that tree is now dead. |
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| That view is out front, where my bakfiets and Ryan's bike are parked. Also, our car is parked on the street somewhere (maybe far, since parking can be a struggle). It really is a lovely street. Really wide by Dutch standards with lots of mature trees. |
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| Here's the other side of this long rectangular room, our dining area and a peak at our back garden. We used to think that garden was tiny, but now we realize that's it's a pretty good size for the city. Plus, it has a shed. |
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| Some vintage prints of Rotterdam harbor that I scored at my fav thrift store. |
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| Our kitchen and some more vinyl I hung. There is a dishwasher hiding in there, and you can't see the fridge/freezer. |
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| A view from the front hall |
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| This closet under the stairs - home of my nemesis - the washer/dryer combo that is the bane of my existence. |
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| Red steep stairs |
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| Our bedroom - definitely my fav room in the house. |
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| Some Ikea closets that Ryan put together - speaking of torture. |
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| Upstairs toilet. Again, no sink. But I kind of love how that entire thing is tiled. |
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| Ava/Carver's tiny room. I'll just tell you, since everyone asks, we couldn't put Elsie and Ava together or they would never sleep. |
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| Upstairs hall |
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| Modern bathroom. I hate sharing a bathroom, but at least this is a nice big one to share. Around that corner is... |
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| This open shower - very easy to clean |
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| Kaydree/Elsie's room - funny story, I measured for these bunk beds before I bought them but foolishly didn't take into account the radiator that juts out a couple of inches in the middle of the wall. So on one side, the beds sit on top of the large window sill, and on the other side I found some white wine racks that the girls use for book cases to prop up the other end of the bed. I was lucky to find those wine racks at the exactly right height, because I didn't figure out what a catastrophe this was until I was about half way through assembling these babies, and I just knew I could never take them apart and return them. NEVER! |
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| Finally - the playroom/guestroom combo |
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| With a wall of kids closets that we tediously assembled |
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| Normally, that bed is tucked away couch style for extra playing space, but we had it made up for Ryan's mom to visit when I took these photos. |
So now, if you happen to hear about a place with 4 bedrooms that is within biking distance of the international school on Graaf Flooristraat before July, give me a shout. I shall be searching till then.
