Tuesday Truth

Good Bye Tijmen

After three weeks, Tijmen has headed back to the Netherlands. He's currently in the air as I write this. His girlfriend will pick him at midnight our time or 6am in the Netherlands

I had a good cry after dropping him off. It was just really ... sad. I'm just not sure why this time met even more sad than normally. I think it was harder for Tijmen too despite the fact that he is returning to a woman he loves and a new job as, what we would call in the USA, an FBI white-collar crime investigator. (Tijmen is a tax lawyer in his country.) 

I think, if I had to try to figure it out, the sadness is because we've truly melded Tijmen into our family. He's an official part that will stand the test of time.

I've realized that Tijmen AND my children are all zoomers. He was born in 1998! This is the year John and I were married! Tijmen is truly our fifth "child." He really is a surrogate child in our family (even though he is a grown man.)

As the boys have gotten older, I've realized, he is now friends with the boys. They are more like peers than kids and adults. This morning, Tijmen and I left the house at 6am and stopped for breakfast at First Watch. During breakfast, he remarked that 26 is an interesting age. Kids still think he's an adult and adults still think he is a kid. He still seems young to me. But yet, he's a grown man preparing to spend his life with a wonderful lady.

I told him that 26 is such a fun age. His girlfriend is 23. We are so hopeful that in the next two years, we will be able to fly to Netherlands and be there for their wedding and meet Ann-Ruth. But, chances are, we won't be seeing Tijmen for quite some time. 

I have lived such a blessed life. We have such amazing people in our lives. Jacob and Tijmen are two of the greatest gifts this farm has given us. Sometimes it feels like we don't get much "production" out of this 96-acres. But meeting Tijmen and seeing him come to Christ is truly one of the greatest gifts this farm has given us. 

Man, we are going to miss him.

Tijmen’s last night in Bulls Gap

This time … feels very sad. Knowing the 18-year-old we first met in 2016 is now 26. And he probably won’t be back for a few years. He truly is part of our family. Tonight we had dinner with Jacob, Tijmen, and the six of us. JB made Thai per Tijmen’s request … tomorrow morning I will take him to the airport bright and early. 

Saying good bye to Kotynsks

2024

2017


Tijmen leaves in the morning … can’t believe his three weeks is ending.

Skylight!

Folks. My life has been improved TREMENDOUSLY by this product. The amount of communication in our home with John's unpredictable and who-knows-when work schedule, all the kids schedules, school schedules, and theater/ballet/karate ...

I mean, you all know. Every family has the same issues. It's SO HARD to get it altogether. Now I have drivers too. And grandparents. My parents in town too sometimes. SO MUCH. 

This 

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It keeps track of meals, schedules, chores, rewards ... everything! You can link it to your phone and it works through email and can sync with your other calendars. 

I honestly can't figure out something this darn thing CAN'T DO!

Folks ... I have a coupon code for this product. CLICK HERE and you can get $20 off. You can also get additional discounts on the website as well so check it out!

Our Christmas Card this year

Our church took these pictures on Sunday, and we snagged one as a family. But, in addition to this, I actually DID DO a family Christmas card this year. 

 

 

Christmas one year ago

So here is what I wrote about us ONE YEAR AGO. I am adding (in blue) some things that will say what is going on now!

 

Here it is! The Christmas card I would send if I could do it all. Here’s who we are as of today …. We are still in Denver and will fly back to our farm on Christmas morning. This year we had Tijmen join us for Thanksgiving. And, ALL of John's siblings (there are six of them in total) will be here with their families to celebrate.)

Isaac: Has his permit and is 15.5. He is in the 9th grade and loves all things music and theatre! He can stay up way later than all of us and loves sleeping in on a rare vacation day. He’s known for his good hair, and he took a trip to Florida by himself in October to hang with all our Huisman/VanWyck family. He’s involved with leadership with his youth group and homeschool group. He’s also in numerous productions in 2024 and just finished a play this fall.  Isaac is now 16.5 and has been driving for a half a year. His driving has helped us TREMENDOUSLY as he has been very involved with theater. He was in Night of the Living Dead in the fall and then joined in for two ballet productions (Nutcracker which just wrapped and Snow White which will take place in January.) He also played the Grinch in a Christmas production at the First Baptist Church downtown. He is no longer doing youth leadership and is instead focusing more on worship and sound volunteering at church. He is going to be directing a play in the spring.

Elijah: Will be 15 in January and now introduces himself as Elijah instead of Sidge. He’s officially taller than us and loves all things biology and hunting! He and his Dad are planning a huge hunting trip to Africa when he turns 16, and he is constantly reading and studying and planning for that adventure. He could run our farm without us and definitely hopes to keep it in the family after he graduates.  Sidge will be turning 16 in January and will join the driving crew here. (He and Isaac have a vehicle they will share.) He is still majorly into all the things mentioned above. He still does Karate and Piano -- neither of which he LOVES ... his passion is hunting and being outside. He did participate in The Nutcracker ON stage which was a major step out for him. 

Abigail: Ballet and helping raise our puppies are her favorite activities. She is 12.5 and in the 6th grade. (But she could be in the 7th grade and is continually frustrated I started her a year late.) She has more fashion sense than I do and loves taking pictures. She also has Eagle eyes to spot any new animal on the farm. I don’t think she’ll ever stop dancing. She’s also taking voice this year and somehow, despite having me as a mom, can sing! Abigail is now 13.5 and in the 7th grade. Dancing is still her passion, but the photography has gotten even more intense. We got her laptop for Christmas to work on editing photos more. She is definitely a teenager now.

Hannah: went on pointe this year with her best friend/cousin Genevieve. She is in the 4th grade and continues to be so full of creativity and life. She is incredibly good with her hands and creating. She can sew and cook better than everyone (except her dad) and has a lead in two ballet/theatre productions in 2024. She is excited to get her own room in 2024 which may allow her and Abigail not to kill each other.  Now in the fifth grade, her creativity and abilities to do the coolest crafts/sewing/cooking continue to be her main jam. 

John: is now 47! The ER is busier than we would like but our farm continues to provide the respite he needs to do a job he loves and is very good at. He unwinds by spending time with his family and is one of the most present men I could ever ask for. He has a few book-writing aspirations that I hope he might delve into in 2024. John has been working on a fiction novel! It's super great and exciting!

Wendi: is 46 and feeling her age a bit. She pours her time into homeschooling and farming but her chief job is chauffeur right now. She has 2024 dreams of writing a book and running another triathalon but struggling to squeeze those in. She is devoted to the kids ballet and homeschooling groups! She was most worried about being lonely when they bought their farm in 2014 and is still waiting for that to happen. 2024 was Wendi's most difficult year EVER. But she has learned a ton about grief and loss and depression and anxiety and gaining and losing weight RAPIDLY. She is excited to continue to grow in her love for people and Jesus as she raises her children. She is writing for the church Blog, on the monthly prayer team, and very involved with all things Heritage (Homeschool) and FCC (Church).

Christmas Eve at the Bauernhof