Our month-long rotation of visitors was kicked-off with the arrival of Beckie on March 30th. This is partly why there have been no new blog posts during the month of April, as I've been a bit busy with hostess and tour-guiding responsibilites. Both of which I absolutely love. It's now May 2nd, and I finally have some time to sit down at the computer and update the blog with the many adventures we've had this past month.
Now with two sons stationed in Germany, Beckie is finding lots of reasons to leap across the pond, and I'm so glad she's willing to split her time between Ramstein and Sittard. After spending her first night at Ramstein, Emily and the girls brought her to our house for the weekend. That Saturday, all the Clough ladies trekked to Keukenhof to visit the tulips. Neil and Emily and taken Beckie there 8 years ago when they were stationed in Belgium and the girls were much smaller. Having a great appreciation for flowers and all things that grow, she was eager to return again. Although it was early in the season, there were still plenty of flowers blooming...., especially in the greenhouses.
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| Keukenhof Garden |
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| Keukenhof Garden |
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| Emily and I holding the Amaryllis bulbs Beckie bought us |
Although it was my second time to visit the gardens (with another visit already on the docket for a couple weeks later), it's the kind of place you never tire of. The landscaping is indescribably beautiful and photos simply can't capture the vibrant colors and variety of tulips.
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| Tulips in the Keukenhof Greenhouse |
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| Keukenhof Garden |
Emily and the girls returned to Ramstein that Sunday, and Beckie stayed with us a few days longer. As Spring had arrived, Beckie was so sweet to help us whip our garden into shape and plant flowers in our window boxes. She also cooked some of Jon's favorite meals, while I took detailed notes, and taught me how to make the chocolate-covered candy Easter eggs she sends us each year.
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| A small portion of the many Easter eggs we made. I can't wait to try it on my own next year! |
Every afternoon when Jon returned home from work, she would bike alongside Jon running to explore new parts of Sittard. I feel so blessed to have a mother-in-law who is always up for anything and eager to simply spend time with us. We did spend one day searching for an Easter market and drove to the German town of Essen, where they advertised having one. Once we got there, we quickly realized it was not the Easter markets we had imagined, as there were only a few stands dedicated to Easter crafts. We still managed to have a great time browsing the shops and finding a lunch spot.
Later that week, Beckie returned to Ramstein where she would spend Easter and spring break with Neil and his family in France. I am so happy we were able to spend some quality time with Beckie and I look forward to hopefully many more visits during the next year!
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