Sister sister!

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I have been abroad for 12.5 weeks now and in that time I have experienced a lot and have wished that I could share those experience, share those places with my family, with my sisters, and with my friends. This week served that purpose. My two sisters (Stephanie and Elizabeth), and Alice (a family friend) came to visit me in the Netherlands for one week! Right away Friday morning, I could barely contain my energy and my excitement as I brought one (host) sister (Aniek) to meet my sisters and Alice. Aniek can attest to how excited I was the entire train ride to Schiphol airport! That excitement lasted the whole we as we traveled across the Netherlands.

Sisters can stand for a lot of different things, but in this acronym Sisters is cap stoned in silliness, with just the right mix of reality in the middle.

S Silly smiles. I have a firm belief that sisterhood is rooted in how many silly smiles you can give each other. Maybe it's even possible to have a whole conversation in smiles.

Steph and I

I  Interesting walks, as a result of our family's new best friend - Rick Steves! Narrating our way around cities we were our own tour guides.
**Tip: follow a city walk in the correct order...

Katie, Stephanie, Alice, Elizabeth (L to R)

S  Silly jokes. "Now you've seen two major artworks in their original form, and in the Delft blue!"

T  Talking... or not. This is something so neat about being with people you are comfortable with, and being with people who have seen you through all phases of life. You can talk non stop one day and then the next all you need is head nods.

E  Exploration. Everyday a new city every day, right?

Ignore the drive time.

R  Relax. Despite being away from my blood family for 3 months, I can relax and know that when I do see them that everything is going to be alright. I can take a deep breath and know that even when I feel that the world around me is changing that family will always remain your family.

S  Silly sisters. A picture can speak louder than words...

I think they missed their true calling to be cats!

The week ended the same way it began. Bringing my two families together, I was so excited, so happy, so full of joy! Two groups of people that I love, finally meeting each other and creating one larger group (if only for dinner time).

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Lord, Thank you for family. Thank you for the opportunity to share experiences with my sisters. Please continue to guide and protect this time that I have left in the Netherlands. 

#katiespiceurope
#family