{"id":724,"date":"2018-08-23T09:21:15","date_gmt":"2018-08-23T09:21:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hoa.heartofadoptions.com\/?p=724"},"modified":"2024-07-15T14:03:58","modified_gmt":"2024-07-15T18:03:58","slug":"love-was-the-common-thread","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heartofadoptions.com\/love-was-the-common-thread\/","title":{"rendered":"Love Was The Common Thread"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
When you are offered an opportunity to travel half-way around the world, expenses paid, to get to meet families that you had a hand in helping to build as well as to meet families waiting to grow through adopting what do you do?? Oh- and where Dutch is the official language, but you only speak English\u2026. well if you are me, you graciously accept and then you freak out! Why- well let me explain- in my 40+ years of life I have never had a passport- never really needed one and never really desired to have one either. Not only that but it scared the bejesus out of me to think about being away from my teenage son- what if something happened while I couldn\u2019t swoop in and act like a helicopter mom- even though I normally don\u2019t do this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What if I can\u2019t figure out how to read the signs in Dutch and I get lost in a country where I don\u2019t speak the language? How do I figure out euros compared to dollars and what if my cell phone doesn\u2019t work while I am there?? So many questions, so many {irrational} fears, so many amazing opportunities\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, after months of planning, emails and phone calls with our counterpart in the Netherlands (also sometimes called Holland- depending on who you speak to), constantly checking the weather app to know what to pack, planning flights, train rides, hotel reservations, and finding a speaking\/meeting space I am ready- or so I tell myself- for the trip of a lifetime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am lucky enough to also be celebrating my 20-year wedding anniversary during the time while I will be there, so with some extra effort we also coordinate for a flight for my husband and as I lovingly tease him, \u201cI allow him to tag along and enjoy Europe with me!\u201d (later I will admit he was my saving grace but let\u2019s not let him in on this secret!)<\/p>\n\n\n