Update, Pictures, Oh Hello

My opa's birthday was this week and my dad's birthday is tomorrow. PSYCH! Happy birthdays Dutch forefathers

Here is a day when all three of us were a happy family (the day where I could not get them to stop calling me mama) :

Me on a train. Trains are something I am in quite often.

I've been pretty good at regular jogging. I've finally gotten to the 45 minute point, with no breaks and no walking, so its a solid 45 minutes. Don't know if I've ever been able to do that. And it's been beautiful (beautiful) weather dus somehow it makes it easier. I changed my route so it doesn't get as monotonous ha

On top of the world looking down on creation and the only explanation I can fiiiiiiiiiiiiind (hey this is like, part two of the hoogstollen maybe). In Vlaardingen:

Like I said, pretty great weather huh? Hello Amsterdam

When we have to walk back from school most of the time I carry their stuff in my arms and then a child on my back. But this time it was a little difficult because I also had to carry a voetbal. Then Femke (the little schatje) offered to carry everything. So well there hopped a very happy michiel on my back.

When the weather was just beginning to be nice we decided to go to the beach. Happy Michiel and a happy Ashleyshadow:

Marlies got home early one day so Michiel stayed home and Femke and I had some girl time hunting for mussels. When a disappointed Femke found no mussels she decided to find crab houses. When a disappointed Femke found no crab houses, she was just happy with tiny baby shells. We found many tiny baby shells.

 Femke was at a vriendin so Michiel and I went to the park. Never seen such a tiny baby Merry-Go-Round. It looked really lonely.

Got back from a visit in Schiedam this afternoon...Wednesday was probably the most lazy day I have ever lived. Really. Woke up, had breakfast, the weather was beautiful and sunny so Jenny and I went outside and sat on the bank and had coffee. Nany came and took Wim away, Damaris came and had coffee. Damaris left. We stayed outside. Had lunch, on the bank. Sat on the bank...the whollllle day long. I've never sat/layed in the same place for that long during the day time ha. But was really nice, super relaxing. Then had a nice time at Martin & Marion's for a little bit, some good talks with Damaris and Ed that night, and then quite the adventure getting back to Amsterdam (the trains were all messed up to/from A'dam), but I made it in time to get the kids from school.
Aaaand here's just a picture from today. It was warm. It was sunny (duh). There was nice breeze. I got back feeling a bit refreshed because I took a break in Schiedam. I was listening to Van Halen. I was happy.

I'm doing well still. It is already almost the end of March, which is like "whoa already" and also "whoa only". 

The kids and I have quite bonded. I am learning their different needs in terms of affection and correction (which is most effective for which child). For example, when Femke is throwing a fit, you send her to her room and let her cry (scream) it out and she calms down and then you talk to her with a big hug. Nothing else works. Michiel, you tell him to stop and he stops (what a man). Femke needs lots of reassurance that she is loved and that I won't leave her. Michiel just likes to play rough but he likes to know I am there if he needs his back scratched, shoulders massaged, or just to cuddle. Really is sweet. They definately have their brat moments where I am thinking in my head "What the helllllllllll", but at the end, when they fall asleep in my arms, I forget all that, and just love them for the sweethearts they really are. At the end of the day, I know they love me and they know I love them. It's really all we need in life, to fall asleep knowing we are loved. They call me mama, and for one year - they are my children. I will give them all I have.