It was summer 2008. I was on summer break from Lehigh University and back at Camp Pecometh where I had worked every summer since '05. This particular camp chooses to hire about 15 or so counselors/staffers from other countries. That summer we had staffers from Australia, Hungary, England, and (most importantly) one blonde-haired blue-eyed Dutchman. The official policy was no romantic relationships should develop during the camp summer. Well rules are made to be broken right? Aron and I started dating a few weeks before the conclusion of summer. We spent every weekend together and after camp, we flew down to Florida and went to Disneyworld. My older sister asked me if I needed to add one more guest for her wedding, but unfortunately, Aron had to be back in Holland for HIS sister's wedding (which was about 30 hours before my sister's).
My junior year at Lehigh was certainly atypical from the average student. Turns out I was pregnant (oops) and trying to maintain a SUPER long distance relationship. It all worked out and May 22nd, 2009 Aron and I became parents. We lived with my parents, flew back and forth a few times, undecided where to plant our roots and grow our family. We knew one thing, we had to have our family together. When Aron couldn't find work in America for a Visa, around Christmas '09, we figured out it was pretty simple for me to get a residential permit in the Netherlands. So after a lot of tearful conversations with family and friends, I boarded a plane with everything I could fit in two suitcases, a diaper bag and a stroller, and took a huge (8 hour) leap.
We were now in February 2010, living with Aron's parents. By September I had my official paperwork, and April 29th, 2011, we closed on our first apartment. We are now homeowners, an independant family of three, ready to start planting our roots and live our own lives, together.
If someone had told me on my 20th birthday (May '08) that by 23 I would have a kid, live abroad, be in a committed relationship, and that we would own our own home, I probably would've laughed in your face. Funny how life happens. And I wouldnt have it any other way
