No matter how fond you are of traveling, how “at home” you feel on a stinky bus with one backpack in between your feet and your other “big guy” backpack stored above you, how strange faces are your familiar, how easily you can sleep most anywhere in the world, how accustomed your belly becomes, you somehow, always, find your feet on the road that leads to home.

And so, after four and a half months of traveling through South Asia, the road home presented itself. We could have easily taken that flight to Australia and extended our trip for a month or so, but the timing was about right for us and our pockets, especially when we considered the fact that our application for Rob’s immigration to the USA with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) should soon be returned to us in Holland. In agreement with our application, was the fact the next few months, from September to November would be the only time we could spend with our family before leaving again and beginning our US adventure. AND, we had a newborn baby niece, Isabeau, to meet! So, all roads led home. Lucky for us, the timing was also just right that we got to join in on Rob’s favorite festival- Reusel Kermis. Many of our friends from our former home in Eindhoven laugh a little bit about our excitement over Reusel Kermis, because to them, it is simply a bunch of village folk and farmers partying their behinds off in costume on the streets of Reusel. They might have a bit of a point. It is exactly that. BUT, that is precisely what makes it a really great time. The children have rides and games and the adults have  great music and cheap beer. It is an awesome four days and I am so glad we traveled the road home to Holland, just in the nick of time for it.

While Kermis is loads of fun, it was the months that ensued after that brought so much lightness and warmth to our hearts. We spent our days waking up at whatever hour fit us best, going on runs through the forest, taking bike rides, visiting Oma, playing with our nieces, going to Reusel sport games, visiting aunts and uncles, hanging out with our brothers and sisters, chilling with our parents on easy evenings over dinner and really just enjoying life in Reusel without the hustle of a job. It was beautiful and memorable and I am forever grateful that a road will always lead home to Holland.