Amsterdam Asps
We were already a family when we moved to Amsterdam in the last week of January, 2003. Marci and I had been married for almost five years. Elliot was ten months old. Still, we really grew as a family during … Continue reading
We were already a family when we moved to Amsterdam in the last week of January, 2003. Marci and I had been married for almost five years. Elliot was ten months old. Still, we really grew as a family during … Continue reading
I’m still reflecting on the fact that it’s been twenty years since our family moved to the Netherlands, in late-January 2003. Our Amsterdam years included so many formative experiences. But even more than formative experiences, I’d say we were shaped … Continue reading
It’s easy to idealize our Amsterdam years. Marci and I were so full of youth and ambition when we moved. We truly learned how to be a family, there in the Netherlands. And I suppose it often felt idyllic because … Continue reading
This week marks twenty years since the period in our family’s life which I sometimes call our “Week of Destiny.” That was the week in which we raised the last of our financial support. It was the week we closed … Continue reading
I love trend-spotting. There’s something about a new year and a new semester at Kent State University that makes for ideal trend-spotting conditions. Maybe it’s the Winter Break, where we all had some extra time to rest and reflect. Maybe … Continue reading
It’s that time of the year for retrospection. After posting my Top Ten Songs of 2022, Top Ten Books of 2022, Top Ten Hikes of 2022, and Top Ten Ministry Moments of 2022, it’s time to conclude these rankings with looking back on the … Continue reading
Our family doesn’t typically do the Christmas Card thing. At least not in the sense of buying a professionally-produced card, writing up a family newsletter with photos, and adding a hand-written greeting before dropping it in the mail. But it’s … Continue reading
I led our H2O interns through a life-mapping exercise a couple of weeks back. We talked about looking for Spiritual Inukshuks, as I often do with interns. Even though it takes some explanation, I think this concept from Inuit culture … Continue reading
We did a little Sinterklaas celebration on Monday night, around 9:30 PM. Pretty late for Marci, Cor, and me. But Elliot had a shift at Subway until closing. Olivia was busy with school work (until she took a little break … Continue reading
Families form traditions. And traditions form families. Our household has collected got a whole heap of traditions over the years: from two tradition-rich families, from multiple cultures, and from our own set of experiences. But a new generation is coming … Continue reading