Ekkebus Home Port

My status update yesterday on Facebook talks about our own Christmas miracle. I ask the question if getting a phone call from a television station in Holland requesting to fly our family to Holland in 2.5 weeks to surprise Paulo’s family for Christmas, counts as a miracle? Or was it a miracle that the show, ‘All You Need is Love’, chose Hanneke’s letter from thousands of letters sent in every year? The show is viewed by about 7 million in Holland every Christmas Eve, reuniting families, lovers etc, and sponsored by Kleenex, if that gives you a glimpse into the emotions it raises.

We were sworn to secrecy. Thus my apologies for the Christmas cards that will never make it to you, the invitations for Christmas that I didn’t make, the presents not sent, etc. With anticipation we frantically prepared for Paulo to have his second Christmas in 19 years back in Holland.

December 16 we flew to Amsterdam. We were kept in a hotel with disconnected phones and not allowed to leave which was a bit frustrating as the stores were calling my name. But not as frustrating as for Pedro, flown here from Brazil and waiting 5 days in the hotel! We were fed well and bonded quickly with the other couples, singles etc that were flown in from around the world. Apparently the show films about 20 reunions for their 1 hour Christmas Eve special.

Yesterday we returned to Schiphol (Amsterdam airport) where the filming began. The tv host, Robert ten Brink is one of Holland’s most famous tv personalities. He met us under the Christmas tree, and with the cameras rolling walked us outside to where the decorated ‘All You Need is Love’ tour bus awaited us. It’s the same bus and driver that transports the Dutch queen and visiting royalty and dignitaries. The luxury continued as we were driven away with 5 others, camera crew, production crew and Robert onboard. We were able to witness Pedro’s reunion after stopping at the hospital where his girlfriend worked. By this time we felt like family and cried and cheered at their embrace.

And we would be next…traveling two hours further south towards Middelburg.

As the bus hid around the corner, with walkie talkies, camera crew and Robert, we snuck and ran down the street, ducking into alcoves as we approached Paulo’s parent’s home. Robert rang the door bell and 3 year old Tim answered the door but never came out from behind it. Robert walked into the house as if he knew everyone and was coming home himself. Instantly Fiona (sister #2) ran into the living room saying “Robert is here, Robert is here!” (Apparently in Holland you automatically know Robert is THE Robert ten Brink…maybe like Santa Clause, or the Fonz or Regis?)

Maybe I should tell you that Paulo’s one sister Marielle (sister #1) was brought into the secret and had arranged that all the family be together, telling one story to the parents, and another one to the siblings, all lies of course. The siblings were anticipating a tv crew arriving to tell Paulo’s folks they won a trip to Canada for Christmas and were leaving in two days. Paulo’s folks only knew that Marielle’s family were in town so they could babysit the grandkids while the parents went away for a few days. All this to say it wasn’t a big surprise when a camera crew walked in…but so did Robert, the Robert! He talked with everyone for a minute and I am still not sure what all was said. I just know that when he asked everyone to stay in the living room and he would get Paulo, Hanneke and Fiona pushed their way around the over 6 foot Robert to get to the front door where Paulo awaited.

The screams were heard down the street. I could hear them from the alcove where the kids and I were still in hiding. At one point the house overcrowded and in all the hugs and surge of 5 siblings, spouses, grandkids and parents, Robert was pushed out the front door! And then they motioned for the kids and I to go into the house.

I think Matthijs (only brother) was the first hug of the 26 that followed including holding 4 nieces and nephews I’ve never seen. Needless to say there wasn’t a dry eye in the overcrowded room. And the cameras rolled, and kept rolling as somehow sister #3 (Geralda) started a train of adults and kids spilling into the streets singing in Dutch, “It’s going to be a great Christmas”. And the cameras kept rolling and the tears kept flowing. Somewhere in there the bus drove up to the front door, unloaded our luggage and Hanneke was serving everyone, including Robert, coffee. A wonderful moment in time. This really was a miracle.

As a side note, onboard the bus was another tv show and reporter doing a behind the scenes documentary on Robert’s show. As a result an article appeared in the national newspaper this morning with a couple photos of us with Robert!

Needless to say Bram is soaking up his new found fame. Kenzie is happy to dance with Opa and Chloe is back on her bike riding through the cobble stone streets to the shops she remembers from her visit here 2.5 years ago. On Tuesday we will go with all the family back into Amsterdam for the filming of the studio part of the show that will air Christmas Eve. I’ll make sure I have my Kleenex ready.

Thank you for sharing our Christmas joy and lengthy account. Sending our love and Christmas wishes to you all.

Lots of love from us here in Holland,

Paulo, Sandi, Bram, Chloe and Kenzie

Wow, the new WordPress 2.8.1 is simply amazing. But I don’t want to bore you all with technical stuff so should also update some family news. We’re about to celebrate one year on Ottawa as a family. A year that has been besides a lot of fun also challenging. We have loved discovering the city and all it has to offer. Canada Day in the Capitol is amazing. Skating on the Rideau Canal is an amazing experience as well. Going to work in -30C not so much. Fortunately, right now the pool is up and running and we are enjoying the summer season. Bram is in Holland with family and we hope to go and visit PEI in a few weeks. Green Gables and all that goof stuff. I heard to fish and chips are amazing in PEI. We’ll keep you posted.

The day we left was the hardest day of my life. I thought I would never see my friends, family, and everything again! The day we left we thought no one would come so we would just sit in sorrow. I was wrong! Our cousins came to say good by that morning! I was shocked!
They explored our empty house and we laughed on our last bounce on the trampoline. As we jumped I thought of all the fun activities I had
on there. Ninjas, Lost, and House. I was going to miss those fun activities. As soon as the taxi came we took one last photo there. I can’t recall
the last time I was so sad. When we got to the Airport I settled down a bit. I had just left all my loved ones behind. On the first plane all that was going through my head was “Am I ever coming back?”,”Will I make new friends in Ottawa?”. I was so sad. One the next plane I knew that I was going to be alright with the persuasive words of my parents. So as I write this I am in my new house nice and cozy with a great neighborhood though it feels very empty without our other neighbors here. So I hope you summer was a bit better then mine. (though it was fun at the hotel!)
The End!

Well, we have been off the air for quite awhile. We decided to move to Ottawa with the family and conditionally had our house sold 30 minutes after we listed it. Unfortunately that deal fell through and at the same time the market stalled in the Fraser Valley. Four contracts later, three months apart and four months of waiting we finally made our sale final this week. Tomorrow the truck comes and our household goods will be shipped to Ottawa. We fly there Wednesday and we are thrilled to keep you up to date with our new environment. Bram will join us 1 August after 5 weeks in Holland with his grandparents. Opa will fly back with him and Oma will follow a few weeks later. Stay tuned from pictures from our new house in Ottawa! I never want to sell and buy in the same week again in my life, ever!

I guess it is official that in March we will be moving to the Ottawa area. We had the great pleasure of spending the weekend with the Rogers who made the effort to come all the way up from Oregon. We had great fun when we went to Grouse Mountain and had the kids try out snowboarding (especially Teresa loved it and just drank the whole experience in). Skating on the pond and making s’mores over the fire. Connor had the great pleasure of trying out Buckleys for the very first time. Good thing we made up for it the next day with laser tagging!

Here is a extended family shot at the mountain:

.. and Chloe enjoying a s’more….

We’ve been severely out of touch. However, we are still alive and well. We had a great Christmas with Sandi’s parents being here. We got to rejoice when Sandi’s grandmother got her Christmas wish fulfilled in being Home for Christmas. It was filled with our share of challenges though. Christmas Eve around 930 pm our kitchen sink plugged up completely. Dan (Sandi’s brother) and myself worked for hours trying to get it unplugged but to no avail. The next day we had 17 guests over for turkey (by the way turkey with fresh cranberry sauce is my favorite meal of the year!) and got to do the dished in the laundry room. Another two days and we had the plumber come by with a snake and work the plug which appeared to be about 60 feet down the pipes.

After Grandma’s funeral we went to our friends in Oregon for a few days and celebrated New Year’s Eve. A great tradition. The kids had great fun and Spencer and I developed a team method for uncorking a bottle of wine.

I’m sorry we’ve been so out of touch bit but we’re at a major crossroad and would appreciate your prayers. We’ll post updates as they become available.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We spend a bit of time at Grouse Mountain or the Peak of Vancouver. It was the last day with the Lumberjack show which is very well done. They hold a log rolling comptetion which shows a lot of skill. I don’t know how useful this skill in everyday life is but it was impressive nonetheless.

We also took a short hike along some of the snow shoe trails and the views were amazing. The girls loved it and Chloe made sure she read all the nature information signs. We found some dark deep trails they wanted to explore and no opportunity is waisted to collect and throw rocks into the lake. We loved seeing our favorite ski runs in the bloom of summer covered with green grass and wild flowers.

We were at Costco yesterday and Kenzie walks by the display karaoke machine and starts to song. She did wel until she couldn’t keep up reading the words that needed to be sung. I love it when she doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her at anytime, anywhere, anyone.

Well as of 22 September summer is officially over. It also means I’ll be back at work on Monday as I have been on vacation for the months of August and September. It has been a great time although I would have liked to run more. We did get lots of stuff done in the house though. Spencer and Teresa came up from Oregon and we had a great time painting and doing all kinds of other stuff. I know Teresa C. you’re wanting pictures, I just have to go around and snap some! Soon. Promise.

Try it for yourself and let me know how hooked you are.

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