We finally decided on a car and went to purchase it today!  We decided to go with a 2013 Toyota Prius.  I love that we get around 50 mpg…woohoo!  It’s also a super comfortable ride and really spacious, which is good because we like taking road trips.

For now, we’re going to only get one car until it becomes too much of a PITA, then we’ll get a second.  I’m considering a little Honda Fit for the second car (as it will most likely be “my” car)…I’ve test driven them before and liked them, but didn’t get one because I was commuting three hours every day and the Civic was a bit more comfortable.  Since I won’t be doing that commute, I think the Fit will be a good choice.

Tomorrow is Easter…so excited to spend Easter with my family!  It’s our first one with my parents in four years!!

XOXOXO,
K.

I am finally home!  Yesterday was absolutely exhausting, but everything went really smoothly, which was good.  Lily was a champ on the plane and the airports…I was so thankful!  We got in last night around 8:30pm, had some dinner, met up with his parents for a bit (we couldn’t find our house key, so needed them to let us in), and then showered and passed out.   Woke up this morning at the ripe time of 4:30am, and just starting the unpacking process.

Our storage stuff and our IKEA shipment both come today.  I also need to go buy and phone, and we might go look at cars.  These next few days will be crazy, but it’s so good to be home!

XOXOXO,
K.

Tonight is our last night here in the Netherlands.  Tomorrow morning, we board a plane and head back to what will now become our “home” again, after over three years living abroad.  In the past week, I’ve cried more tears than I have in the past year, said more goodbyes than I have ever wanted to say, and given more hugs than I can count.  It hurts to leave this place in a way that is indescribable, and yet I’m filled with excitement for what is in front of us.  

I can’t even come up with words to say how thankful I am for this opportunity to experience all that we have, and for the relationships that I’ve gained with the people I’ve met along the way.  Each and every person I’ve met here has changed me…some in tiny ways, and some in ways so significant I’ve yet to realize the full impact.  But I’m thankful for all of them, and even though it hurts to leave, and I’m sad to go, I wouldn’t trade that pain for the friendships and relationships I’ve gained.  They’re worth every tear, every heartache, and every dollar spent on international telephone rates.  I’m going to miss them, but they’ll never leave my heart.

So, for now, tot ziens.  And remember, it’s not “goodbye,” but merely, “until I see you again.”

XOXOXO,

K.

This past week, things have really started to look up for me in terms of a job back home!  I have had HR schedule two different interviews with me for when I return!   Both positions are an extension of what I do now (account management), but one of the two is a hybrid position for account management and program management.  One of the positions also isn’t with the same business unit that I work with now…it would be working for the engine business.  Crazy!

So…my first interview is the 3rd of April.  I need to get home and get a suit ASAP!  I have a few already, but they both fit poorly…one is too small and one is too large.  Plus, they’re both a little dated and I’d like to get something with a bit more of a clean cut.  I’ll be hitting up Banana Republic and Ann Taylor as soon as I get home, for sure!  Ugh…I also probably need new shoes!  

I really hope I’m offered a position…I’m not really sure which I’d prefer, as they both sound very challenging and interesting.  I think either of them would be a good fit for me, and I know I could succeed in both.  But, at the moment, if I were offered both, I have no idea what one I’d accept!  Gah…hopefully the interviews would help me make a decision.  And…I’m getting way ahead of myself…lol.

Two more days here in the Netherlands…I can’t believe our time is almost over!

XOXOXO,
K.

These past few days have been a whirlwind.  Several going away parties, meeting with friends in various countries, and trying to get our air shipment out of the way all led to me being downright exhausted (but that’s to be expected).  Jamie’s been sick, so that’s not helping matters either, though it appears he’s in the upswing of things.  

Last Friday, the air shipment left.  We now only have the things which will fit in two suitcases, and the cat.  Today has been spent cleaning as and the beginning stages of packing (and wondering how the hell we’re going to get all this stuff back home…some of it is getting left here, there’s just no way around it).  Yesterday, we drove to Luxembourg to say a final goodbye to my birthday twin, good friend Nicola…and to meet her new son, Charly!  I got to give him his baby blanket which I finished crocheting just the other evening, and we got to have lunch and spend time together for a bit before Jamie and I drove back to the NL.  Later today, we’re heading over to a friend’s place for dinner and spending time with them…they’re one of our closest friends here.  (And I just realized, after reading this paragraph, that it is disjointed and the timing is all back and forth…my apologies, and yet, I’m too lazy to go back and correct it.  That’s what you get for an iPad post.)

Tomorrow is the vet appointment, where we get a signed off paperwork saying Lily isn’t diseased, rabied, and/or dying.  Should be fairly cut and dried…her pet passport is up to date with all her immunizations, so customs in the US should be straightforward (god please, PLEASE, let it be straightforward).  Tuesday, we go to the town hall to de-register, come back and turn in our apartment, then head up to my friend, Tupp’s, house to say goodbye there.  She’s my best friend here, it’ll be hard to say goodbye to her.  If she were only a few states over, that would be one thing…a totally do-able distance.  But overseas?  That requires a fair amount of logistics (and money) to see each other.  Thank god for Skype and FB chats…we’ll survive, but it’ll suck.

Then…after visiting Tupp, we drive over to Amsterdam and check into our hotel for the evening.  Wednesday morning we need to be at the airport around 8:00am, so we’re staying the night in a hotel (plus, we won’t have an apartment, since we had to turn the keys in).  Finding a pet friendly airport took a little finagling, but it’s sorted now, and Jamie and I will have an evening of just pure relaxation, room service, and watching TV.  

 That’s it for now…I’m sure I’ll post more soon!   Hope you all had a great weekend!

XOXOXO,
K.

I figured I might as well blog about my last day of the Sport Fasting experience!  Day 10 came and went, nothing overwhelming.  By that point, I was eating full meals and doing just fine…feeling fantastic, actually!  Overall, I lost 11 pounds, and am really happy with the results!  I have only a few days left at the gym, as we leave on Tuesday for Amsterdam (fly out Wednesday morning), but I’ll be joining a gym back home the day after we return, so I plan on staying in the workout groove.  Hopefully I can keep the momentum on weight loss and continue to gain muscle!

XOXOXO,
K.

Today marks Day 9 of the Sports Fasting program…only tomorrow left and then it’s (somewhat) back to normal!  I have to say, even though I was skeptical at first, I’ve been very pleased with the program and my results.  I didn’t lose any more weight between yesterday and today, so it appears I’ve started to plateau.  I’m actually somewhat happy about that, because I’m always nervous of such a large weight loss in a short period of time.  I think I’ll end up around 11 pounds down from where I started, which is awesome!  I can definitely tell in the way my clothes fit, and my energy levels.  Now, just need to maintain this loss and work on being healthy/losing more at a slower pace!

XOXOXO,
K.

Holy crap, I can’t believe that we are a mere 9 days away from moving home!  The movers come one last time on Friday to pick up the stuff for the boat shipment, and in the meantime, Jamie and I are in the midst of making a list of all the things that we want to sell/get rid of here.  We have things like an electric grill, appliances for the kitchen, an extra fridge, an oven, etc.  We’re not planning on taking any of it with us (wrong plugs and different volts/watts than US plug-ins), so we need to ditch it here in Europe. 

This week is going to absolutely fly by.  We have going away parties Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings, then we’re going to visit a friend in Luxembourg on Saturday.  Sunday will probably be spent either a) slothing around or b) visiting my friend up north.  Then Monday, we take Lily to the vet for her last check-up, Tuesday we do the apartment inspection and give up the keys, and then drive to Amsterdam to stay in a hotel overnight, before flying out Wednesday morning!  I can’t believe this time is finally here…it’s so surreal.  I don’t really think it’s sunk in yet…and probably won’t until I’ve been in the US for three weeks or so, wondering when I’ll be going back “home” to the NL…then realizing that it’s not home anymore.  I’ve spoken with some other people who have done this, and all of them have agreed that the repatriation process is even harder than the expatriation process…so I’m not entirely sure what to expect.  Hopefully, it’ll go relatively smoothly.  I feel as though I’m a fairly laid back person when it comes to these moves, and I tend to adapt quickly, so hopefully it won’t be a big deal.  If it is?  Well, I have my therapist on speed dial.

I’m also in the midst of Day 8 in the Sport Fasting program.  Yesterday was my first “Build Up” day after the three day fast, and also my first day of solid food after four days of a liquid diet.  The weekend went fine…it was a bit harder to fast with Jamie home, because I was making him meals and such, but honestly it wasn’t that bad.  The day back on solid food, he just ate what I did, so no big deal there.  I had some trouble digesting the protein at dinner (chicken breast), so hopefully tonight’s dinner of fish will be a bit better.  I also went to the gym and weighed today…down 5.1 kgs (11.2 pounds)!!!  I’m so thrilled!!  I really hope I can maintain and continue to lose, though obviously not at the rate I’ve been losing now.  I’m only a few months away from Hawaii and would really like my body to look nice (though no one looks nice in a wetsuit, let’s be honest).  I’m still working out daily, though that will probably go back to 5-6 times a week once I’m finished with the program, as well.

That’s about it right now.  Things are crazy, but I’m excited!  Hope you all had a great weekend!

XOXOXO,
K.

Today is day 5 of the Sport Fasting program…halfway there!  It’s also my second day of fasting, with tomorrow being my last day.  After that, I start building back up in food intake…can’t wait!  I’m still not hungry, but damn do I miss eating.

Another day at the gym, down another half kg (around a pound), and back at work.  After the gym, I picked Jamie up from the train station…he’s finally home!  I’m so glad he’s back, it was a long three weeks with him being gone!

Not a lot else going on.  I’m glad today is Friday, I could use a nice, relaxing weekend with Jamie where we just sort of hang out and veg.  Hope you all are doing well!

XOXOXO,
K.

Today is my first, real, day of “fasting” on this program.  I guess it isn’t really a fast, per se, because I do ingest liquids…150ml of fruit juice for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Still not hungry, so the supplements are doing their job.  I do miss actually eating, though.  I’m down 3.6 kg (~8 pounds) and feel really good!  I still have tons of energy and am working out every morning still (around 45 minutes of cardio).  I’m proud of myself for sticking with this so far!  Only 6 more days to go…and only 2 more fasting days after today.  I think it’ll be harder tomorrow and Saturday, because Jamie will be here.

Which brings me to another point…Jamie comes home tomorrow!!!  I am so excited to have him back here…he’s been gone nearly 3 weeks in the US, getting things ready for us there.  I am so lucky to have such an amazing husband…he’s been working himself crazy, getting the house cleaned and ready, working, traveling for work, and other things.  He’s so good to me!  When we move home, our house will be deep cleaned (thanks to him and his mom), the minor repairs will be complete, the house will have all new locks on the external doors, and the majority of the upstairs will be professionally painted.  Yeah, I’m lucky…I know it.

That’s about it for now!  Work is going well…I’ve applied for a few more jobs and had someone back home ask for my resume, so maybe something will come of that.  I’m done worrying about it for now.  I have my temporary (6 month) contract ready to go for the same job as I’m doing now, only in the States, so I have that to keep me going for at least 6 months.  Plus, I got a raise as a contractor!  So…yeah, nothing to worry about at the moment, which is good.

Hope you all have a good day!

XOXOXO,
K.