This weekend we put an offer on a home in Holland. We are working with a Relocation Consultant who is excellent. He’s the kind of guy you want on your team – that works because he truly cares and wants to take care of you and not just because it’s his job. We met him when we were in Amsterdam for a week and he took us to see the insides of several different homes, driving us from location to location and giving us a feel of the land.  We’ve been emailing back and forth and found two properties that were of great interest to us. RC was getting ready to leave on vacation for 2 weeks, yet before he left for the airport, he managed to stop by both houses, took pictures and emailed us his honest opinion. I’m so thankful. Throughout the weekend he has explained the process for proposing an offer and given us advice how to furnish our new home. We talked with him while on vacation and now a proposal awaits acceptance. Cross your fingers!

Every late night and early morning and any time in between our “day” jobs, J and I have been searching the web, browsing properties, calling RC for advice, calling/emailing owners and pouring over small pictures to get a feel of what our future home will be like. J likes to open Google Maps and Google Street Views to plot the nearest grocery stores and tram lines to get us where we need to go and to plot the various distances to the International Schools. He is an awesome partner.

And there have also been friends who have given us advice that is invaluable. Pauline put me in touch with her friend Birgitta, who lives in Holland, who I can’t wait to meet!  I tried contacting her via email that bounced, then connected via Facebook inbox, and then Skyped with her to get the 411 on the local neighborhoods, that you just can’t get from a rental housing website. She interrupted her family dinner and took the time to give me the local scoop – where the locals go to eat, where the tennis courts are, what the feel of the neighborhood is like, etc., etc.  I cannot do this alone and I am so lucky that people want to share and help. 

I’m loving the connections and technology and support, and it would be so much more challenging to do it alone. So thank you my friends. Now we just have to wait to hear if our offer is accepted. I don’t know if I’ll sleep tonight!  Because a mama needs a nest.  And some rest!  Good night!