Even though we knew it was inevidentable, losing Annemiek is really hard. Wendy is doing all the right "stuff" and she has an amazing group of friends & family looking out for her and supporting her. I'm sure it'll be ages until this doesn't feel raw, unfair and (Wendy's new word) brutiful.
I had the honor of traveling with Wendy to the Netherlands (along with Cate, Lauire and Cyn) to support Wendy and honor Annemieks life. It was tender, funny, awe-some and I'm so grateful to Tom and work for helping me make this happen. Getting to know Annemiek's family, Jereon/Brian and Petra better was also lovely.
They took such good care of us. Hanging out at Brian/Jereons and dinners at Marias (Annemie's mom) made everything so much easier and less stressful.
Rather than describe every minute, I'll put comments by the photos.
Leiden is truly a magical place and its obvious that it is a big big part of Annemiek.
Surrounding everyone with love, healing and wonderful memories, experiences and the blessing that is and always will be Annemiek.
T
PS, I thought I loaded the photos in order but apparently blogspot like to make it all random....urgh
Windmills! They are everywhere and awe inspiring to consider the engineering and sheer force of them.
Just a random castle on the way to the north sea
The town is covered in poems written on buildings, in all languages
the many colors of the north sea
We biked to a farm where A loved to get her cheese 
My hotel - 3rd floor, 3rd from left 
The building the pilgrims lived in, for 12 years, before they left for the Americas 
A's friends listening to tributes
more poems
Walking self tour of windmill and Leiden in drizzle
This museum was fascinating!
Peterskirk church is 901 years old and the church the pilgrims left from 
canal boat tour
north sea, the parking is UNDER ground and covered by wonderful dune grass 
Biked to Sacishia's restaurant, a college friend of A's and where Wendy proposed to A 12 years ago
View from the Burck, a middle ages strong hold 
The crew getting ready to take off 
Peterskirck
Leiden - its like walking around in a Dickens novel but way cleaner
Maria and Andre are docents at Peterskirk and bought each granddaughter a stained glass square as part of a fundraiser - Else, Eva and Femke 
Maria/Andre's home, built in 1390, you have to randomly step off stairs into the 1 room on each floor. MAJOR tripping hazard! 
The Waag, originally where everyone had to go to weigh goods, now a yummy restaurant 
Owned by a successful prostitute in the middle ages 
the 1390 house 
The market
On the plane! held hands and had tears 
random aviary on a walking path 
more poems 
City hall where A and W got married, walked/biked past it 5+ times a day 
Visited the camp ground we stayed at during the wedding. SUCH a cool place
The awards at the cheese farm
Crazy, even for the Netherlands 
The crew biked to the north sea the 1st day for lunch - Gorgeous! 
Wendy eating haring boodjie in honor of A (pickled herring sandwich) 
The little cabin we stayed in for 3 days during wedding 
the rental house we stayed in for 3 days during the wedding 
parrots were just flying around! 
burgermeester meesterburger (I had to)
biked to the north sea a second time through a dunes national park, sound familiar? 
Random cool old harbor building 
Jereon was on TV while we were there promoting his upcoming community musical 
East gate to the city 
North sea
Gorgeous 
The nieces in foreground and W, Erik, Tjiske and Maria in background listening to friends honor A 
Yep, over 900 years old 
The keys to Leiden were embedded in brickwork on streets everywhere! 
Inside of Peterskirk, I wasn't at all intimidated to speak about A here...in front of all her friends and family....
Saying goodbye to Eva! 
Petra! 
North sea crew 
The Waag restaurant 
Had to join in the fun! 
The tiny house A lived in when she was undergoing breast cancer treatment in her 30's, its literally attached to the outside of Peterskirk
canals!! 
A's favorite place for haring
Peterskirk event space 
my memorial outfit 
Lunch at Waag
Cheese/wine tasting courtesy of Eva (she set it up and it was so fun!)
Petra was the lone representative from the Netherlands at A's US party on Leiden Onzet (Oct 3 is a BIG holiday in Leiden and W hosted A's party that day, on purpose) 
Gate to the Burck
Leiden at night. Truly 
Can you see why I was intimidated
I could have spent the whole week at the north sea, feeds my soul 
Rembrant was born in Leiden and lived there until he was 21 
View from my hotel 
Church in Katwik (north sea) 
Tribute to Rembrant
Farm house - zoom in on the kitchen, its darling! 
Cheese shop attached to farm house 
proposal restaurant 
West gate 
Walk in A's honor on 10/3
Terry was HUGE in getting W through security with A's ashes seamlessly. It was such a relief for Wendy to have this support and help,
Yep, pretty much 
View from 1390 home
