Wrapping Up

Julie: There are many words to describe this adventure, but perhaps the best word that encompasses everything is LOVE.  We were loved on beyond imagination, from Josje and Frans greeting us at the airport, special days throughout the week, spent with family, to Josje and Frans seeing us off at the airport.  Every single family member is precious, and we immediately connected with them.  They took great care in planning things for us, and we will forever be grateful.  The bonds with them is now strong, and we cannot wait to take the kids to meet them.  I once had a great desire to travel all of Europe, but a big portion of my heart resides in Haarlem, Den Haag, and Voorschoten.  From what we thought was just going to be a fun trip, turned out to be a trip of discovery of Jake's heritage, which I have now claimed as my own.  Jake and I both agreed that, although it was nice to see some parts of the country, what we enjoyed the most was spending time with family and learning his family's history.  We cannot wait to go back.

Jake:  I am thankful for my wife working hard to find family to connect with in Holland.  I would like to thank Julia for experiencing Holland and my heritage with me.  It was truly an unforgettable experience. I love you.



I would like to thank Frans and Josje for taking us in and being there for us during the whole week.  They were there when we arrived and they saw us off when we left.  The hospitality and great food was wonderful.

I would like to thank Greetje, Marianne, and Kirsten for spending time with us in Delft and for the fun gifts.  We spent the whole day just sitting and getting to know each other over a coffee and meal.  I would like to thank Clemens and Marianne for their hospitality and fabulous dinner.  Opening their home to us and loving us as family was more than we could have ever imagined.  The night was truly special.

I would like to thank Tiny and all the cousins- Josje, Ellie, Lillian, and Marian.  This includes Frans, Jaap, Pieter, and Gerard.  They made the night special with dinner and presenting a picture of my Opa and Great Aunt Stien.  Thank you for your love.

I would like to thank Josje, Lillian, and Jaap for the program and the day of visiting the streets of where my Great Opa, Opa, and my father lived, the time touring Den Haag and seeing the city and catching a glimpse of the palace.  The time to see the boardwalk and sea and having lunch was also special.  I will never forget seeing where my family lived in Den Haag, and it was especially fun doing it with cousins, learning all together.

I would like to thank Great Aunt Stien for inviting me into your home.  I will not forget the special time spent getting to know more about my Opa and my heritage.  We might have laughed about my Opa's tall tales, but we remembered the history and memories my Great Aunt Stien lived.

Jaap don't forget about my Opa arriving on a white stallion to save my Oma from tyranny.  He lived in a great mansion on the canal of Den Haag next to Robert Redford.  He was given the purple heart for his bravery in World War II.

We may have visited some cities and enjoyed ourselves in the Kuekenhof Garden, but my time with family was the greatest event of the whole trip.  It felt like Opa and Oma were there with me experiencing this trip.  I don't think it would be possible if they weren't guiding Julia and I during our time in Holland.  The holes in my heart are filled from the experience during our 25th anniversary in Holland.

Frederick Buechner said it best, “You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you.”