My parents were in Germany a couple weeks back. As they were getting ready to leave, they handed me the Euro's that they did not use on their trip and said, 'Oh sweetie, do something fun with these.'
That same week, we learned that the nurse who is treating Ryan's Lyme thinks that 10 weeks of treatment will be sufficient (instead of the 12 weeks that was first thought). We all agreed that Ryan would have a Lyme test pulled on the very last day of his treatment, March 24. The test will take 2 weeks to get the results and instead of us waiting in Germany for a positive or negative, we would go home and receive the news by e-mail. We could choose to stay here during the waiting period and once the results are received, decide what to do from there (continue treatment or not). We have chosen not to take that route, at least at this point. Our decision is not because we do not fully appreciate and feel like Ryan is receiving the best treatment available, but instead because, if the test comes back positive, we know his Lyme is in remission and we would choose to manage it from Oregon as needed. It would also tell us that his Lyme will not be beat but instead managed throughout his lifetime (from what we've heard, success rate for the treatment he is going through is about 90%). From all of these decisions, we know that our family will fly home sometime between March 25-27. Matt and I are throwing around Ellie and I flying home next week while he and Ry finish out the remaining 3 weeks- Ryan has 5 of his cousins flying into Germany next Monday to spend the last 2 and a half weeks of Ryan's treatment traveling around and spending time with him....I don't think he would miss Elle's or I :)
So, back to my parents Euro's and seeing something fun.....
With the strong possibility of Ellie and I leaving late next week, we had one thing left on our 'Europe to-do list' that we have not done.....
See Holland.
My Matt's family is Dutch and his grandparents were from Holland (both sets) so, naturally, seeing Holland was something that was important to us. It was $18. to switch Matt's flight from a Stuttgart, Germany arrival to an Amsterdam, Netherlands (Holland) arrival. It was an almost 7 hour drive for Ryan, Elle's, and I yesterday to travel from Schwabisch Hall, Germany to Amsterdam (we came up a night early and stayed in a little bed and breakfast last night).
When Matt's ticket was secured and we knew Holland was happening for sure, I started checking into where we would stay. In my mind, it needed to be something special- something local and authentic. Something we would remember for a lifetime.
When the windmill came up in the search engine, I immediately looked at the price. For our 3 night stay, it was over twice as much as the amount of Euro's my parents had left. It was purposed in my mind to not go over that amount but I didn't want to rule out the windmill completely. It's not peak season in Europe yet and the weather is less than ideal- this mixed with what my friend Kathy had told me (she has e-mailed owners of vacation homes before to ask if they were willing to offer better deals than what was advertised), I sent the owners an e-mail and asked if they would be willing to accept the amount from my parents....they were so gracious and said 'yes!'
Put on your bucket list a visit to Holland, staying in an an authentic windmill that has been rehabbed.
WOW- it is beautiful!!
I copy and pasted some pictures off of the advertising website (cause it's exactly what it looks like) and then added some of my own.
P.S. Thank you mom and pops- we love you guys
 |
| I snapped this picture from the back side of the windmill |
 |
| If you look closely, the roof looks like a pressed hay bale |
 |
| you eat on dutch tableware |
 |
Typing this blog post from the living room of the windmill
p.s. my leggings need lint rolled!! |
