Where Globe-Trotting meets Beach-Combing
We found out over spring break that Chris didn’t get his first choice for our next set of orders, leaving us with two choices: Bahrain or Japan. If we went to Bahrain, Chris pointed out, we could really say we’d lived all over the world. “If you ever wanted to talk me into the Middle…
Two years ago, the wordplay of the city slogan for the French city Dinan delighted and maxed out my French skills. “Tu dis oui, ou tu Dinan?” sounds like, “Do you say yes, or do you say no?” except say no (dis non) is pronounced the same as the city name. With the first lifting…
We moved into our Hawaii house five years ago this week. Isaac was five, Eloise two. Between reminder photos popping up everywhere and finding out our renters will be moving out in a few months, I’ve had Hawaii on my mind. I miss Hawaii: Our perfect little bungalow there, walking distance to church, Kailua town,…
The sun was shining, the borders were open—it’s time to experience springtime in the Netherlands! Chris’ work schedule didn’t make it easy, but we managed to zip up to the world famous Keukenhof Holland for an entire day of floral delights. I was afraid it would be past the peak bloom when we went April…
I love cheap seats at the opera! Chris and I had fun seeing the worst opera I’ve ever seen in my life last September for his birthday. It was all bad—the sparse sets, the inconsistent accents, the lack of character development… we left early. Then, after Christmas, we flew into Vienna just in time to…
One of the best things about having kids is seeing them enjoy the things I enjoy. One time the kids complained about a museum we were headed to and I explained that because we go to museums together, when they grow up they will enjoy museums. “Hey!” Isaac said, displeased. Once in a while they’ll…
Dawn broke softly over calm waters. Boats floated on the pearly-peach North Sea, suspended in a shimmering swath of color between the darkness of the depths and the blue-white of the early morning sky. Within hours, Chris, Isaac and Eloise were stepping on English soil for the first time. Fluffy white sheep still wrapped in…
