Happy Grilled Cheese Day!

I’ve never been great about family traditions. Rather than stick with the same routines year after year, we tend to switch things up. I love the idea of the families that get new Christmas pajamas every year, or go caroling and drink hot cocoa, or put up lights on their house. Fortunately and unfortunately, we’ve been living abroad off and on, so traditions have been tricky. We’re just not those solid, routine people. This year, however, I think we stumbled upon a winner and it seems worth repeating: Grilled Cheese Day. Good, wholesome, cheesy fun for the whole family!

This started as a conversation with my mom and her husband, Frank, over a podcast about grilled cheese and developed into a competition idea. We set a date on the calendar and gave everyone their assignment: design the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. Our kids, 10 and 13, were in on it too. Even with hundreds of options of bread and cheese combos, there’s really no way to screw it up so they had full artistic license. Our grilled cheese day happened to land the day before Thanksgiving. Planning, shopping for ingredients, and rules were decided upon.

I went first and made a very classic, American grilled cheese- white bread and velveeta. After cooking, plating, and tasting, we took notes and discussed. Consensus was that mine felt nostalgic, melted nicely, and had a good buttery crunch. Everyone secretly rated the sandwich on a score of 1 to 10. However, we didn’t announce scores until the end of the evening. Gotta keep up the suspense.

Next up was Ted. He used brioche bread, brie, baby swiss, and rosemary- a very unique combo. I thought it was a bit too sweet, but my mom loved the rosemary. It was well cooked and the prevailing thought was that it had a wow factor.

Justin went next and used white bread, creamy havarti, and smoked gouda. This one had the best “cheese pull” and tasted great with a creamy, yet smokey flavor. The comment was made that it would be nice with ham or roast beef in the future.

At this point, even with small portions, we were needing a bit of a break so we headed to the living room to enjoy a glass of wine and a movie. Obviously, Wallace and Gromit was the perfect pairing for our made-up holiday. For those unfamiliar with this claymation film, it’s about a man and his dog who run out of cheese so they build a rocket and go to the moon. “Everyone knows the moon’s made out of cheese,” says Wallace. It’s adorable!

Now, back to the action! Frank has had a famous grilled cheese recipe for years. People seem to love it or hate it. Pumpernickel rye bread, Tillamook extra sharp cheddar, stone ground mustard, and dill pickles. It’s tangy, more hearty, very complex, and reminds you of a ruben or cheeseburger without the meat. It was my favorite one of the evening, and Ted’s too. Unfortunately, Penny rated it a 0 and tanked the average. Justin wasn’t a big fan either. Very divisive.

My mom used greyere, munster, and caramelized onions on English muffin bread. If you’ve ever had French Onion soup, it was like that, but a sandwich. Most of us were fans. It was a bit sweet from the onions, but balanced nicely with the cheese choices. 

Last up was Penny. I encouraged her to come up with a “dessert” grilled cheese to end our night on a sweet note. She made French Toast with Brioche and then added raspberry jam and mascarpone cheese, sprinkled with powdered sugar. It was creamy but a little tart and not too sweet. Very yummy, but didn’t really look or feel like grilled cheese which was the only complaint.

After trying each dish, everyone turned in their ratings to Ted and he totaled up the scores and found the average. We decided not to vote for our own so it wouldn’t seem unfair. He did a great job announcing the results starting from last place (sorry Frank!) to our winner, Justin!

Tips To Host Your Own Grilled Cheese Day:

  • It may not be as environmental, but paper plates were a big time saver.
  • Keep the portions small. Each of us only made a couple sandwiches each to split between 6 people.
  • Grapes and wine were a nice palette cleanser between dishes.
  • Take notes to remember your thoughts and help with ratings.
  • It doesn’t have to be grilled cheese day. You could do sandwich day, pasta day, pie day, appetizer day, etc. Just pick and theme and go with it!
  • In the future, a traveling trophy for the winner could be fun.

A Gray Area

It’s far too easy to paint others in categories of “good” or “bad.” Our brains like to compartmentalize, label, and make sense of the world, but I have never met anyone 100% evil and I have never met anyone 100% perfect. Humans are more complex than that. We all have the capacity for both, and often simultaneously. I know I’ve been seen as a villain and at other times a saint, but I am neither.

With that said, I know a few Trump-supporters. Many that I was unaware of seemed to come out of the woodwork with the Charlie Kirk assassination. These are people I know from childhood or college or work. These are people who have generally been kind to me and my family. Some of these people currently work with children in schools and seem to have caring qualities, but it’s quite confusing to hold both notions in my head. The person who helped Penny improve her writing or the person who used to smile at me in the hallway years ago may be supporting hatred and ignorance. I can’t wrap my brain around it.

I hear cheers for Hitler and calls for the resurgence of gas chambers. Source

I hear about 500 tons of food meant for starving people in third-world countries being destroyed. Source

I hear about detaining helpless children in “concentration camp”-like facilities, tearing families apart, and deporting people to countries they’re not even from. Source

I hear about the gutting of the Department of Education and actively taking away support for children with special needs. Source

I hear dangerous misinformation about vaccines and medicine spouted from unqualified people, going against trained doctors and scientists. Source

I hear blatant racism, sexism, and homophobia shrouded in the disguise of “Christianity.” Source

Surely 40% of Americans (the current percentage of Americans who approve of this administration according to The Economist and Gallup) don’t actually support this, do they? Are there decent people who are just stuck on the idea that they are “conservative,” “Republican,” or “Right-wing” to the point that they’ve lost perspective? Is it more important to belong to your chosen group than to question whether or not it matches your true values? The idea of belonging has a powerful pull. We are social creatures. We all want acceptance and love. Does wearing that red MAGA hat scratch that itch? It gives you a group; and a powerful one at that. I don’t know. Maybe I’m totally off-base here, but I have a hard time believing that 40% of us are just full of hatred. Am I wrong? Am I too naive?

Personally, I find the current president and his cronies to be an embarrassment to this country: the late-night incoherent tweets, the rambling speeches of obvious lies, the attempt to silence anyone who opposes them, the policies and decisions that put people’s lives at risk, the sickening amount of evidence of breaking the law. It’s absurd.

But here’s what gives me hope- I know people who have switched sides. I know people who voted for Trump’s first term that didn’t vote for a second. There are well-known Republicans who openly oppose Trump. There are people who have lost their jobs or been negatively affected by these policies who are jumping ship. Not all, but some people are waking up, and that takes courage, self-examination, and admitting you made a mistake. That takes strength. Change is hard and I hope, rather than saying “I told you so!”- we can say, “thank you for questioning, thank you for looking within, thank you for risking your belonging!” The MAGA movement has many qualities that appear very cult-like to me, and overcoming brainwashing is a difficult task. I just hope that those caught up in extremism of any kind can get their wake-up call. 

Inclusion, kindness, equality, taking care of eachother- all those “liberal” ideas- they are the opposite of extreme. I feel confident I’m on the right-side of history, but I suppose those on the Right feel confident they are also correct. I guess my challenge would be: if your side promotes Nazis, violence, racism, bigotry, authoritarianism and fascism….you may want to do some reflection.

And maybe read a history book. 

***For those who end up reading this and disagree with my views, I am open to respectful dialogue. I am curious about your thoughts. However, I am not open to spreading misinformation or hatred so if that’s the goal, I won’t engage.

Images from the October 18, 2025 No Kings protest in Lawrence, Kansas.

Cursive, Corn, and Jerry, the Aloe Vera Plant

Reporting back after about a month back in the classroom- The short answer is: it’s a mixed bag- highs and lows, but I am so incredibly grateful to be there! Overall, I love being a teacher again and I feel like out of my 13 years on the job, this is the strongest I’ve been. Being able to experience 3 different schools, different grade levels, and different curriculums and philosophies has given me a wider perspective and I understand the bigger picture better than ever. 

And 5th Graders are my favorite! Don’t get me wrong- I loved those sweet little kindergarten babies last year, but this is where I belong- reading chapter books, teaching the love of writing, and being able to make jokes that they actually understand. It’s fantastic, or as my students would say, “it’s lit.” Actually, that might be too old of a reference at this point. The slang is hard to keep up with these days which is why I instituted “Mrs. Peavey’s Vocabulary Lessons.” Every Friday, the kids teach me a new word or phrase. Obviously, I have to immediately look it up to make sure it’s appropriate, but it’s been fun to let them be my teacher. Plus, they get a huge kick out of it when I use my new slang words.

I also let them name all the plants in the room. It was a very serious democratic process, involving narrowing down votes until we had the perfect ones. “Jerry” is our Aloe Vera plant. “Tom Sawyer” is the spider plant that resides above the classroom library shelves, and of course, we have a “Travis,” in a nod to our beloved Chiefs player.

Anyway, here are the highlights- the people and things that make the job the best:

The Families

I was very resistant to making an Amazon wishlist for my classroom because I was clinging to this idealized world where we shouldn’t have to do that, damnit!  None of us, parents or teachers, should be pouring this much money into education when it should be fully funded by the government.  Alas, that’s not the world I’m living in. So, I made one, and man, oh man, was I blown away by the generosity I received! Parents I had never even met were purchasing items for our class. I received box after box for my classroom- snacks, markers, file folders, a diffuser with lavender oil, organizational items, office supplies, fidgets, a calendar, and more! One parent even brought me a comfy chair for our cozy corner. People really showed up. Besides the relief and gratitude for the functionality of the items, it made me feel supported and loved. These parents are the best!

An Old-School Resurgence

No school or district is perfect. There are a handful of things I have to shake my head at (more on that later).  There are a few things, however, Lawrence is doing that I wholeheartedly agree with. 1) We are officially teaching cursive again. They purchased the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum and we get 15 minutes a day to dedicate to handwriting. My students are excited about it and working hard to form their letters correctly. What they don’t fully realize is that by learning this, they are forming new pathways in their brains and a lost art is coming back into the world. Studies show, pen and paper outweighs typing when it comes to learning and retaining new information. And that brings me to 2) The district has come out with a policy limiting the use of student screen time. Kindergarten through second grade will not be using ipads except for assessments. Third Grade can use devices for a maximum of 30 minutes a day and Fourth and Fifth are limited to an hour per day. I remember they asked me about technology during my interview and I gave what I thought could have been construed as a controversial answer. I don’t want kids on ipads and Chromebooks. Sure, there are great tools for research, learning apps, engaging content and interactive ways to learn. Plus, I’ve used Google Classroom, especially during the Covid days. It makes everything super organized and easy to manage. There’s software that will grade everything for you and design lessons with the click of a button… but at what cost? Our kids are addicted to screens. Their social skills and attention spans are suffering. Rates of depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders are on the rise. I am worried about this generation and I do not want to contribute to the problem. I can’t help it if kids are going home and spending hours on a device. Lord knows I’m not perfect. I’m battling those same temptations with my own children. But when my students are at school with me, they will not be staring at an ipad screen for hours on end. In fact, I’ve only used the student ipads twice this year and that was to take an assessment required by the district. In my classroom, we will be reading books made from paper, writing in composition notebooks, talking face to face with one another, and playing outside.

The Staff

My school is full of stellar teachers and support staff. The office staff bends over backwards to get us what we need. The specials team is top notch. We finally hired a learning coach and she has been working so hard to get us up to speed. She is responsive, organized, and knows the school well. We also got a SPED teacher and, although she’s only been with us for about a week, I can tell she has the kids’ best interest at heart. The paras at our school are professional, kind, good with kids, and intuitive to our needs. They actually had zero turnover for paras this year which is unheard of. It’s been a bumpy start to the year, but the staff has handled every twist and turn with grace, kindness, and humor.

The Kids

Of course, the best (and most challenging part) of the job is the kids and I’ve got 22 great ones this year- a whole cast of characters! For confidentiality, I can’t share the stories, but trust me, I’ve got some good ones. These students crack me up daily. I’m pretty sure I’ve got some future authors, environmentalists, scientists, therapists, and maybe even some teachers. Some are so sweet and innocent. Others are like 18 year olds stuck in 5th Grade bodies. They are enthralled with our current novel. They were delighted when I shared a video of Roman ruins in Tunisia. They were fascinated when I told them about visiting Anne Frank’s house in the Netherlands. They ask great questions. Some are incredibly kind. Some are passionate; writing a persuasive letter to the principal asking for more recess time or starting a “Save the Planet” club. And I’m there, cheering them on and encouraging them to pursue their interests and be their best self. Some, I can give lots of freedom. Some need more hand-holding. And some need consistency and tough-love. But that’s the beauty of this profession: interacting with the kids, making all those split-second decisions to get through the day in a positive way, and balancing all those personalities and needs. It’s an art and a science.

But… This wouldn’t be honest if I said it’s all sunshine and rainbows. This school/district definitely has its challenges.  I’ll try to keep it brief.

  • I’ve got some feelings about the Benchmark ELA curriculum. My first unit is about…. CORN- I am not kidding you… 3 weeks reading and writing about corn. Who at Benchmark decided that was a good idea? I can not imagine a single 10 year old who is going to be interested in learning about this. Kids want to learn about the Titanic, Ancient Egypt, dinosaurs, and Harry Houdini… not corn. Also, the district spent serious money on this curriculum, but every teacher I’ve talked to says you have to either make or buy supplemental materials to make it work. Most teachers in the district buy slides and worksheets from the TeachersPayTeachers website. There just isn’t enough time to make materials to fix the curriculum.
  • The Social Studies curriculum isn’t much better. Well, it’s nonexistent. My first unit is supposed to be about Native Americans, but there aren’t any lessons or materials provided. A fourth grade teacher was nice enough to send us a PowerPoint slideshow and there are a couple of old, dry articles linked on the pacing guide. There are some picture books in the school library as well. So it’s up to us to figure out how to teach this in a culturally sensitive and accurate way. I think I’ve figured it out now, but that’s no thanks to the district.
  • I was told to give the LETRS spelling screener to my class which gives great data, but there are 2 tests and they take about 2 hours to grade, using a special template for each student. After spending evenings grading the inventories, I then had to use the scores to determine spelling groups. The district uses a program called Words Their Way which I like and have used before, but here’s the kicker- The LETRS screener doesn’t correlate to Words Their Way. Words Their Way has their own screener to use with their program, but I was told to use something different that doesn’t work with the program they bought. Just one of the many ways we seem to make this job more complicated than necessary.
  • I am now on principal #3 for the year. I was hired by one principal before he moved to a Middle School position. Then I was introduced to an interim principal who worked with our school until Labor Day. Now we’ve got a new interim principal until they start the hiring process for a permanent person who will be principal #4 for the year. For a new teacher to the school with a completely new team (all three 5th Grade teachers are new) the leadership situation has not been ideal.

Like I said, no school is perfect. I’ve been doing this long enough to know how to follow what the district wants while still doing what’s best for kids. I like my job. I like staying busy and I like feeling like I’m doing important work. This summer I got a letter from a former student and it helped solidify my “why.” I’m exactly where I need to be right now and, despite the chaos, this feels like home.

Back to School

The culture shock is real! It’s been 5 years since I’ve taught at an American public school, and man, has it been a rude awakening stepping back into this role. 

You know the episode of 30 Rock, where Jack Donaghy leaves the corporate world of GE to go work for the Government? He points out a leak in the roof and they say, “There’s no leak. We did a study.” They have no pens and when they finally order some, they open the box to find only pen caps. It’s understaffed, disorganized, and literally falling apart.

Coming back from the education world in Tunisia and the Netherlands, I’m feeling a bit like Jack Donaghy right about now. Overseas, my classroom had a couch, laps desks, technology, school supplies, seat sacks, boxes, plenty of furniture, and a huge classroom library that I didn’t provide. I spent less than $20 on bulletin board decor and I was ready to go.

In comparison, I walked into my new classroom this summer and it was barren. No bookshelf, no hanging file folders in the filing cabinet, no student whiteboards, no seat sacks, no student mailboxes, no boxes for organization, no books, no decor, no timers, no markers or pens. Each student gets one paper folder and is bringing one spiral notebook. How in the world am I supposed to get through the school year with one folder and one notebook? Last week, I was also told I must have a “cozy corner” in my room for students with a comfy chair, fidgets, and posters. Who’s paying for that? Me, I guess…

Do we ask nurses to pay for medicine and bandages for their patients? Do we ask IT techs to pay for their own computers? Do we ask firefighters to provide their own ladder and hose? No, we don’t. And yet, no one blinks an eye when teachers are asked to shell out hundreds of dollars to make their rooms functional and aesthetically pleasing. I’ve already spent close to $500 on my classroom and that’s just to get it up and running- nothing fancy. I bought table caddies, plastic boxes for storage, books, a rolling cart, a dry erase calendar, bulletin border, student mailboxes, seat sacks, desk organization, a bookshelf, hanging file folders, push pins, sharpies, and a laptop bag. The school didn’t provide any of the things I assumed were basic necessities.  And now, I guess I’m on the lookout for a comfy chair for my cozy corner.

I wish the lack of funding was my only issue, but unfortunately, there’s more. I am on a team of three and all three of us are new to the district. We also have a new interim principal. I was supposed to be assigned a mentor teacher to help answer questions, but that hasn’t happened yet. The building is also supposed to have a learning coach. Do we have one? Again- no. I send emails asking questions and they go unanswered. My roster has changed multiple times. The schedule changes daily. I print out my class name tags and schedule again and again, just to throw them in the recycling bin every time because we can’t seem to pin it down. I don’t currently have access to the online reading curriculum and the student handwriting workbooks are useless because they are too advanced. I sit through Professional Development training sessions and meetings that don’t actually tell me anything I need to know. My list of questions just grows and grows. For example, on Friday, I realized I didn’t even know where the playground was. No one had ever shown me. I don’t know what dismissal looks like or a fire drill or how to do lunch count or use my TV or how to implement their discipline policy. And did I mention, I’m meeting students and parents tomorrow…

But here’s the deal. I want this. Through all the frustration, I am excited. I can’t wait to meet my kids. As the superintendent said during our new teacher orientation, “This job has never been harder, but it has also never been more important.” I got to see the other side of teaching. After 12 years in the classroom, I took 2 years off. At first, it was amazing. I could go to the bathroom whenever I wanted. I didn’t think about work at the end of the day. If I was sick, I didn’t have to write sub plans. I was well rested and fairly stress-free. But it took a toll on me in other ways. I didn’t feel creative anymore. I wasn’t problem-solving and using my brain in the same way. I wasn’t emotionally connecting with coworkers or students. I didn’t have interesting stories anymore. And the thing that bothered me the most was that I didn’t feel like I was making a difference in the world. I missed teaching. I missed human connection and creativity.

So here I am, back in the American public school system. There’s little to no money. There’s little to no support. The kids have high needs academically, emotionally, and socially. The kids I’m teaching this year, missed out on their Kindergarten year due to Covid. But we are going to get through it together. We’ll form our little classroom family. I’ll share my favorite books with them. I’ll listen to their stories. We’ll laugh and dance and play together. Maybe someday, we’ll even get that cozy corner figured out! It will be messy and human and difficult and wonderful. 

Reach out to the teachers you know and send them your words of encouragement (or maybe some cash!). They have been working long nights and weekends to get ready for this school year. And wish me luck getting over my culture shock and getting back in the groove of being an American teacher. Deep breaths. We’ve got this!

Part 2: Gratitude

If you didn’t get a chance to read Part 1, here’s the gist- My husband and I are DODEA (Department of Defense Education Activity) employees and his position as SPED Assessor was recently cut. Just as we were feeling settled, we learned that it’s abruptly coming to an end without us getting to finish the contract we were promised. With a month left of the school year, it’s going to be a mad dash to pack, move back to Kansas and get new jobs.

I’ve felt shock, anger, sadness, and anxiety since we received the news. But interspersed with that, I also feel grateful. I know how lucky we are that we had this opportunity. Many well-qualified, passionate educators try for years to get into DODEA schools and never even get an interview. We got to live in Europe for a year and we experienced a lot. Now, instead of focusing on the negatives, I’d rather focus my energy on gratitude. Here’s my current list of blessings from our year in the Netherlands:

1) Travel

It is so much easier and cheaper to travel around Europe compared to America. We went to a zoo-hotel in Belgium to sleep next to bears for my birthday. We wandered around Christmas Markets in Germany and France, sipping mulled wine. We walked through Anne Frank’s hidden living quarters in Amsterdam. We explored the ruins of Pompeii and ate local food, grown in the rich soil of Mount Vesuvius. We heard the church bells ringing in Sorrento, Italy when the Pope died. We have seen and walked and listened and tasted culture and history.

2) Back To My Teaching Roots

This year has reinvigorated my love of teaching, something I thought I had lost. Teaching is a job that can easily burn you out and I’ve felt that. Especially when I was battling my own demons, pouring love and attention into a classroom was hard. After teaching in Tunisia, I took two years off from the profession. I got a job working from home, sitting in front of a computer, writing emails and reports, joining Teams meetings, and enjoying my new-found flexibility. However, even though I worked for a great institution, I always felt like something was missing. I didn’t feel like I was making a difference in the world anymore and I didn’t feel like I was using my brain as much either. I’m forever grateful for that break. I know I needed it, but when we got to the Netherlands and I was thrown into a Kindergarten classroom, something clicked. I was making split second decisions again. The kids made me laugh every day. I easily got 10,000 steps a day without even trying. I felt fulfilled seeing the students learning and growing. I felt like I was in my element, doing what I was trained to do. I realized I missed this. If we wouldn’t have gotten the call to move abroad, I’d probably still be in my stay-at-home job. I had no plans to quit. I would have missed meeting these tiny, wonderful people and I wouldn’t have realized that I am much happier in education. I have healed and I am more than ready to take on my own classroom again.

3) A Great Year For My Kids

Teddy and Penny both adapted quickly to our new school and location and made friends. Ted got the lead role in the Middle School Musical and it was the highlight of the year. He blew us away with his talent. I have never felt prouder to be sitting in the audience, smiling from ear to ear, watching my kid shine. There was also an Elementary musical and Penny had a blast participating in that. Bravo to the music/theater teachers who make school magical! Teddy also got to go on a week-long sailing trip this May and came back with lots of stories and new skills. Penny learned to play the ukulele and got really into songwriting this year. Ted joined a cooking club and has started helping out more with making dinner. We read multiple novels together, had lots of chill movie nights, tried new food, traveled, and just generally spent lots of time as a family.

4) Gluten in Europe

Justin has been forced to eat a gluten-free diet for years. It’s an inconvenience and a downer when he can’t eat some of his old favorite foods. Before moving to the Netherlands, he did some research and found that there are many people who are typically gluten-free in America, but are able to eat gluten in Europe. Please don’t ask me because I don’t understand all the science behind it. It has something to do with Europe using ancient grains that have not been genetically modified, so many people don’t have the same issues they do in the States. Well, low and behold, we arrived and Justin slowly started introducing pastries, bread, pasta, and beer and he found that amazingly it was true. No pain, gastrointestinal issues, headaches, etc. In general, we have found that even their junk food here is healthier. They just have more regulations on food- less chemicals, dyes, and processing than in America. It’s been a game-changer!

5) Walkability

This is a little thing, but I love it. Our house in the Netherlands is within walking distance to our school, restaurants, shops, a park, and a grocery store. Every Saturday morning, Justin and I walk through the park, past the ducks, to a little coffee shop for breakfast and lattes. I find myself making excuses to go to the grocery store multiple times throughout the week just because I enjoy the trip and the exercise. And I used to hate grocery shopping! I love the culture of walking and biking everywhere. I will definitely miss our convenient, relaxed life here.

6) Healthcare

We went to a doctor in Germany for our medical care while abroad. I was surprised by the differences of treatment here compared to the US. For my preliminary visit, the doctor did an EKG, a lung capacity test, urine and stool sample, took 12 vials of blood to test a variety of things, took my blood pressure, and did an ultrasound of all my internal organs. It was the most thorough doctor’s appointment I’ve ever had. Then I had a follow up appointment with a radiologist to take a closer look at my thyroid and a mammogram. Happy to report, I got the all clear. It wasn’t outrageously priced and it’s the most confident I’ve ever felt that if there was something to find, they would find it. I was impressed. To clarify, this is not a critique of American doctors. I just think the healthcare system in America is so bogged down with red tape, insurance denying claims, and a political system that is so heavily focused on money that it hinders what can be done.

Looking back, it’s been a lovely year. I thought this chapter would last a bit longer, but I’m starting to accept it for what it is- a happy little blip in our life that helped us grow. I will miss the Netherlands, but I’m ready to get back to loved ones, my own classroom, American appliances*, good coffee, food, and sunshine. Grateful for the opportunity but ready to move forward.

*Our toaster can’t fit a full slice of bread, our washing machine only takes a handful of clothes at a time, and our oven can’t even fit a sheet pan. European appliances are weirdly small.

Our European Adventure Coming to an End?

Part 1

We had a feeling this was coming. Since Trump took office, we’ve read about Federal programs and jobs being slashed left and right with no consideration of the impact to individual lives.  We’ve read about threats to Special Education and the defunding of education in general. We were especially afraid in February and March this year that our jobs were in jeopardy, even though we were reassured nothing would happen. We played along with Elon’s absurd 5-bullet points email, sending in a weekly report of our value that no one ever read. *(Of course I had to be snarky about this. If you’d like to read what I emailed each week, scroll to the bottom.) We lived in a state of unlimited contingency plans, wondering if we should start packing or job searching. We even sold one of our cars in case we had to leave in a hurry. But, by April, we began to relax. We thought, since we are affiliated with the military, maybe we’d be safe and get to finish our contract. Well, on Friday, May 23rd and with a month left of the school year, Justin received an email that his position was being cut. All Special Education and Speech Assessor as well as Educational Technologist positions throughout all of DODEA schools will be cut. We felt like the rug had been pulled out beneath us and we are still processing what it means.

From what we understand, we basically have two options. 1) Accept leaving and move back to Kansas, hopefully get our possessions shipped back, and start looking for new jobs. Or 2) Have HR assign us another job within DODEA. Justin is currently the SPED Assessor but he is qualified in many areas and could transfer to a SPED or other teaching position. However, we have only been with DODEA for 1 year. We have very low seniority compared to the other displaced employees recently cut. We could be shipped off to a location we don’t want or they could not find an open position that he could fill. With the extremely slow processing times, we might not find out if we had a job until July or August. It’s been alluded to that there are not enough open positions to go around so it’s not looking great.

We are leaning toward Option 1: Move back home and start over. To be completely honest, we were considering leaving after our 2 year contract anyway. This year, I lost both of my grandmothers. In a strange turn of events, it happened within the same week. I found out that my mom’s mother had passed and booked a flight home to Kansas. When the first leg of my flight landed in Atlanta, I learned that my dad’s mother passed as well. I spent two weeks in Kansas, hopping between my mom’s house and my dad’s house. I went through old photographs, reminisced with family, spent slow mornings sipping tea and having deep conversations, ate great food, and even got to catch up a bit with friends. There was some jet lag, some tears, and I annoyingly caught COVID, but I wouldn’t trade those 2 weeks for anything. I needed it more than I knew. I know it sounds cliche, but it just felt like home. It was healing and so good for my soul to be back around the people I love. Traveling around Europe is great, but it was being back in Kansas with my friends and family, sitting around doing nothing at all that really made me feel whole. It took the death of my grandmas and that visit to realize that my priorities had changed. Justin and I agreed that money and travel just don’t compare with being around loved-ones. We miss them and we want to nurture those relationships in a way that can’t be done from overseas. And I want my children to have fond and frequent memories with their grandparents too. They love trips to the pool, baking cookies, helping with the gardens, and sharing meals with their grandparents. I don’t want a job to stand in the way of that.

We also realized after our arrival in the Netherlands that this place isn’t ideal for our kids as they get older. Finding a job for teenagers in the Netherlands would be nearly impossible since our kids don’t speak Dutch and there aren’t really jobs on the American or NATO bases for teens. Some kids bag groceries at the Commissary, but they only work for tips. It’s not an actual paid position. Mostly they just sit in the corner, staring at their phones while everyone goes through the self-checkout. Kind of sad. Then there’s the fact that a Dutch driver’s license is very difficult to get and the legal driving age is 18 years old. Our kids wouldn’t have those formative life-experiences of driving and having a job before going off to college. That just doesn’t seem fair. And the cherry on top is that, although we like our school, they are seriously lacking in the Electives department for High Schoolers- no art and no theater. I am a huge advocate for the arts and I have seen my kids thrive participating in arts programs. I want to encourage them to develop their skills and love of visual and performing arts and that would be difficult here.

However, I would have liked to finish our 2 year contract in the Netherlands. I feel like we just got settled. I had visions of next school year, feeling more confident in our location and checking more items off our bucket list. We already had flights, a hotel, and activities booked for a trip to Scotland next October to celebrate Justin’s 40th birthday. My mom and her husband were planning to visit next Spring to explore Portugal and Spain. I guess that won’t be happening.

But I have to keep reminding myself that we will be okay no matter what happens. We have a great support system. We kept our house in Kansas. We are well-qualified professionals. It’s going to be okay. And we were lucky to have this experience in Europe, even if it was cut short. Part 2 of this post is all about that- looking at the bright side and reflecting on what we’ve been able to accomplish this year. Stay tuned.

My 5 Bullet Points Email to DOGE. I sent the same thing week after week:

Monschau, Germany

This past weekend, for Justin’s birthday, we visited the quaint town of Monschau, Germany, about an hour away from where we live. Out of all the nearby places we traveled to, this was one of our favorites. The city center is dotted with the traditional timber-framed houses with the dark wooden beams and narrow cobblestone streets. It has a very medieval German feel and looks like something straight out of a fairy tale. If you ever get the chance to visit, here’s an outline of how we spent our day which was near-perfect.

We started our day with a chilly 15-minute walk to a glass studio called Glashutte Monschau. Unfortunately, our coats are still in our shipment, so we weren’t dressed for the 40 degree weather. We managed though. We were very relieved to find the glass blowing demonstration area, which was nice and warm. We sat down for a while and watched the artists work. It was mesmerizing to watch the red hot glass blob get slowly shaped into a beautiful vase. The highlight of this place was that kids can go up to the stove to help blow a glass orb. Teddy got to choose his colors and blow into the tube to inflate the glass. About 10 minutes later, we came back to his cooled purple and green plant-watering bulb. It was only 5 euros for the experience and glass piece, a pretty great deal in my opinion. After we paid for Teddy’s piece, we toured the gallery and purchased a few little figurines and a mug for Justin.

By this point the kids were hungry, so we headed back to a cute restaurant we had seen earlier, Cafe Thelen. The look of this place and the menu itself were very “typical German.” As it was only about 11:40, we were the first ones in the restaurant and had no problem securing a table. I ordered a hot passionfruit tea to warm up and had some delicious tagliatelle pasta in cream sauce. Justin got a sort of pot roast with potatoes and Penny had schnitzel with fries.

Next up was shopping and exploring the city center. I checked off my must-purchase item, a Monschau magnet to add to our collection. Next we stumbled upon a tiny, crowded hat shop. It was small but well stocked with knit clothing, gloves, scarves, and of course hats. Justin bought a new plaid newsboy cap. Penny got a pastel rainbow beanie, and Teddy and I got super warm gloves. From there, we wandered in and out of more shops. We even got a head start on Christmas shopping. I’ll never pass up a local hand-made gift when I see it.

One of the specialties of the area is their mustard mill. The Historische Senfmühle is a bit off the beaten path, out of the city center, but it’s worth a visit. It was built in 1882 and has been owned by the same family for generations. They make their mustard manually between old millstones, just like the old times. There you can try flavors like English Curry, Honey Poppy Seed, Fig, Beer, Tarragon, and Wild Herbs with Garlic. Of course we had to come home with a jar.

We ended our visit with another little walk and a stop at a pastry shop for some coffee and sweets. I chose a pastry filled with cream and cherries and it was perfectly flakey and delicious. If we would have had more time and energy, I would have hiked up to the lookout to see the gorgeous view of the town from above. I’m sure the pictures would have been breathtaking, but we’ll have to save that for our next visit. I’m sure we’ll be back!

Extra Tips:

  • I would recommend parking on the street rather than in the parking garage unless you have a very small vehicle. We had some stressful moments trying to get in and out of our parking space in the garage.
  • Be sure to have a few euro coins on you for using public restrooms. They are not free.
  • I would reorder our events by starting with the mustard store, then shopping, followed by lunch and end with the glass blowing studio. That’s what makes the most sense geographically so you are retracing your steps like we did.
  • Definitely get there by 10am or a little earlier to ensure you get parking and get to enjoy the views with less tourists crowding the streets. It seems to get busier and busier as the day wears on.

The 2 Month Netherlands Update

We are about 2 months in, living on the border of Germany and the Netherlands. Since I last wrote, many of our stressors have lessened. We’ve got our bank account and phones set up. We’ve bought a car and are getting a second one in December. The kids are getting involved with school and making friends. Ted even got the lead role in the school musical! We know where to buy many of our basic needs and when all else fails, we still get Amazon! 

We have a few weeks left until we move out of the guest house and into our permanent housing. When we move on November 1st, we will be reunited with our shipment full of furniture, winter gear, toys, kitchen items, books, and decor. 

And big news for me- I got a job! After my background check is complete, I will start working at the school with Justin and the kids. I will be a Kindergarten Teacher’s Aide. The goal is to get back to teaching, but as there are no positions open now, this job gets my foot in the door and more connected to the community for the time being.

In many ways, life feels very ordinary. We get groceries, go to work, cook dinner, clean the house, and do homework. Where we are living doesn’t even look that different from America. We are currently living in a rural German town, down a winding road, with cows and horses along the way. The school looks like a normal school with normal subjects and after-school activities. The restaurants have normal food. Even the radio plays American songs. It’s really only occasionally that we see something and think, “I guess we’re not in America.” Examples of this would be a neighborhood cigarette vending machine or the multiple shrines to Mary and crucifixes seen abundantly throughout the town. Or yesterday, when we were driving down the road we had to back up and turn around because a parade with a big band and flags was walking down the street towards us. I was also taken aback to see that you don’t have to prepay for gasoline, but rather pay after you pump. There seems to be more trust that people will do the right thing.

On the weekends, we venture out of our bubble and explore nearby sights and cities. So far, we’ve been to: 

  • Maastricht, Netherlands
  • Valkenburg, Netherlands
  • Hoensbroek, Netherlands
  • Aachen, Germany
  • Tongeren, Belgium
  • Cologne, Germany
  • Eindhoven. Netherlands

For longer upcoming breaks we’ve been planning larger trips. For Fall Break we are going to London, England. During Winter Break we are visiting Strasbourg, France. And Spring Break we have a very special Italy trip planned with my Dad and his wife.

I am so grateful that travel has become a part of my life again. In America, it is so expensive to go on vacation and the states are so large and spread out. European travel is so much more condensed and less costly. Plus, we are seeing some truly magnificent sights. We are seeing Cathedrals that are so old and so grand, many built way before America was even founded. We are traveling to areas so rich in history, like when we went to Eindhoven this past weekend and thought about the soldiers during World War II marching down the same streets we were on. Maastricht is where the European Union was created and it’s just a 25 minute drive from our house. Another nearby place, Aachen, was the main residence of Charlemagne and where he is buried today. Many artists, like Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Mondrian, and Vermeer are from the Netherlands and their work and inspiration can be seen here. We are truly lucky to take in the history and charm of Europe.

I think we are still learning a lot about travel though. Not all of our trips have gone as smoothly as they may appear in photos. A while back, we visited the 3 Points. It’s the convergence of The Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium. Basically, at this marker, you can take 3 steps and be in a different country for each step. There’s all sorts of touristy things to do at the 3 Points, including a hedge maze. We attempted the maze, but it was far more difficult than we were expecting and it took us almost an hour to get through. By the time we finished, we were tired and hungry. We stopped at the closest restaurant but when we tried to order, they were out of all the food we wanted. Back to the car we trudged in search of a new restaurant, but then we encountered another obstacle. Our car required a token to get out of the gated parking lot and we had no clue how to get this token with our debit card and credit card not working. So back out Justin went. Long story short, eventually we got out and we got food, but by the time we actually made it to the 3 Points marker, it was so overcrowded with tourists that you couldn’t even get a picture. One thing after another! Sometimes, our little travel adventures are comically less than perfect.

Luckily, we’ve also had many successes. Going antique shopping in Tongeren was so much fun. It was an open-air market that’s hosted every Sunday and there were treasures as far as the eye could see- pipes, clocks, art, jewelry, dishes, toys, rocks, statues, and more! Penny got a tea set and Teddy got a fossil. I didn’t even need to come home with anything. Just window shopping was a blast.

We’ve seen local celebrations and parades and gotten to blend in with the locals. We’ve tried out tons of restaurants. We’ve been to museums and learned about art and history. We got to meet up with friends in Cologne, Germany for a day. In Cologne, we filled the day with a chocolate museum, a river cruise, a park, multiple restaurants and drinks, and a visit to an unreal Cathedral.

All in all, life is good. We are lucky to have so many new experiences as a family and it’s only just beginning. We have a nice blend of feeling absolutely ordinary to other moments feeling absolutely extraordinary. We will keep learning and growing as travelers, making sure to enjoy the simple moments at home with the adventures on the weekends and breaks.

Food in Limburg

We’ve been in the Southern Germany/ Netherlands area called Limburg for about a month now. During our time here, we’ve had the opportunity to try many restaurants through the advice of new friends and sometimes just a good old Google search. The following is a little taste of what we’ve tried. Bon appetit!

Schrieversheide

Located in Brunssumerheide, a nature preserve with flowers, woods, and lakes, sits a pretty restaurant with classic Dutch delicacies. This was one of the first restaurants we visited when we arrived in August. Here you can find “pannekoeken,” a sort of savory pancake usually with meats and cheeses. However you can also find sweet pannekoken with toppings like vanilla ice cream and fruit. The menu is quite large and offers breakfast items, soup, sandwiches, salads, and more. I got their version of a croque madame while the kids got pancakes which were more like crepes. It was a peaceful place with yummy food, literally off the beaten path.

Dadawan

Dadawan is a chain restaurant with a few locations in the Netherlands. It’s an Asian-fusion place with a futuristic feel, including robots that serve your food. (We missed out on this because we sat outside and the robots only work indoors.) I ordered one of their many “stone bowls,” a granite bowl with rice, protein and veggies, heated to 250 degrees. The kids had gyoza and ramen and our friends ordered poke bowls. The food was fresh and delicious- a great meal with new colleagues.

Coffee Lovers

After opening our new bank accounts in Maastricht, the big city of our area, we wandered down the street to a place called Coffee Lovers. There was a bit of a chill in the air and halfway through our meal, sitting outside, it started raining. It felt very quintessential Netherlands. Luckily it didn’t last long and my tomato soup, a very common menu item I’ve found around here, wasn’t too watered down. I don’t think this place was anything to write home about; just one of the many cafes on the street. However,  I am including it because Ted said it was his favorite meal he’d had since arriving. Both kids got “American pancakes” (thicker than their usual crepe-like ones) with hot chocolate and fresh whipped cream. Not the healthiest choice, but after their patience at the bank, they earned a treat.

Sunndays

The Netherlands is full of cute terraces to enjoy your coffee or your lunch, but this one in Valkenburg was my favorite- just so beautiful with flowers and outlooking cobblestone paths. It just made me feel like I was really in Europe. Ted ordered a giant hamburger while I opted for the caprese sandwich. It had fresh mozzarella, a crusty baguette, and a drizzle of balsamic. The perfect simple sandwich.

Good People

Heerlen is a larger area near us with more shops and restaurants. On our visit to Heerlen, we visited a restaurant called Good People. It’s a hip little place with friendly waitstaff and a cool ambiance. I ordered the risotto with spinach and it was perfectly cooked, creamy, and full of flavor. Plus the plating was perfection! Penny ordered the spaghetti bolognese and loved it as well. Justin ordered spare ribs and Ted ordered steak. I think we all loved this meal and would definitely come back again.

IJssalon Oberije

One spot we’ve been to a handful of times is IJssalon Oberjie in Brunssum, Netherlands. This is a cute little ice cream shop close to our school and our future house. They are known for their giant sundaes with fresh fruit and whipped cream in pretty glasses. You can also get ice cream spaghetti. Penny got mango icecream in spaghetti form with strawberry sauce and whipped cream. My favorite thing I’ve ordered is the “Coupe Amarena” – vanilla ice cream with black cherries and sauce.

Dafne

Dafne is a Greek restaurant with a few locations in Germany and the Netherlands. We are lucky enough to be about a 4-minute drive to one on the German side and have eaten there a couple times now. When you arrive, you are greeted with a customary shot of ouzo, pretty typical here but new to us Americans. The other night, Justin had the mixed grill and had some of the best lamb he’s ever had. I found myself missing my old Greek place in Lawrence, The Mad Greek, and their lemon chicken soup. To my surprise, I found the same soup on Dafne’s menu and it was just as good! Plus, they have a chocolate souffle for dessert that is to die for!

So there you have it, a glimpse at the food we’ve been eating here. It’s been a mixed bag with some dishes better than others. I just feel lucky to have the time and opportunity to eat dinner out quite a bit. It’s fun to explore new places, even if the kids just order pasta, hamburgers, or pancakes everywhere we go. Reading menus in Dutch and German has been a bit of a challenge, but thankfully Google Translate works about 80% of the time. The other 20% is a fun guessing game. We’ll continue eating on quaint terraces, rain or shine, and hopefully find some new favorites.

Netherlands Update #1

We’ve been in the Netherlands for a little over 10 days now, but man, it feels longer! We’ve been so busy getting our lives set up and exploring our new area. As expected, we’ve had some ups and downs. It can be stressful starting over in a new country despite the always-smiling faces you see on social media. Today is the kids’ first day of school and I’m home alone and without a car for the first time since being here. The guesthouse is quiet and I’m alone with my thoughts so I’m going to take this opportunity to do a little reflecting on our journey so far.

The Stressors:

There is sooooo much paperwork and logistics to stay on top of! Justin has been doing a fantastic job ticking things off the to-do list, but it often feels overwhelming. Here’s just one example of a process that has been overly complicated and stressful: We need to buy a car. To do that we have to have car insurance first. To get car insurance, we have to have a Dutch bank account with money in it. Well, we found a car and we opened a local bank account. However, there is no money in the account. We tried to use another bank to transfer money but they needed proof of a permanent address. We don’t have that. Our next option was to wire the money from our American bank. However, doing this from a foreign country looks like a fraud attempt so the US bank intervenes and blocks the transfer. In order to see if it’s a legit request, they call Justin, but here’s the thing- we no longer have that American phone number they are calling, and our current, temporary phone plans don’t make international calls. To get a phone plan that works, we need…. a Dutch bank account. And round and round we go! Things like this take hours of troubleshooting, asking for advice, and hitting brick walls again and again. Also, it doesn’t help that places like phone stores and banks are closed on evenings and weekends.

Some things have gone smoothly, but the sheer volume of things to be done can be daunting. We needed NATO ID cards, general ID cards, school ID cards, a gas card (to get tax-free gas since the price of gas is around $10 per gallon here!), and a special credit card to pay off the gas card. Then there’s the appointments. We needed an appointment to set up our bank account, an appointment to get a drivers license, one to learn about how to find a house, an appointment to go look at a house, etc. etc. We had to learn everything from how to use our PO box to how to recycle properly. It’s just a lot to take in and a lot of information to keep organized.

And finally, there’s my own personal hurdles I need to overcome. Since we’ve come to the Netherlands, I’ve had this anxiety about driving, especially by myself and especially to new places. I have this fear that I’ll get lost and then my phone won’t work to get help. One day, I was home alone with the kids while Justin was at work and instead of getting out of the house, we just sat around all day because I felt too paralyzed to do something. I am finding that I’m going to have to really push myself out of my comfort zone and that’s been difficult. I don’t remember having this much fear when we were in Tunisia so I’m not sure what’s changed, but I’m hoping it will improve with time and practice.

The Bright Spots:

Despite all the challenges, we like it here. There’s a laid-back attitude among the locals and almost everyone speaks English which has made it easy for us to communicate. We love sitting outside of little cafes eating our lunch and sipping our lattes. We have been lucky enough to meet very friendly, helpful people who have gone above and beyond to help us. The staff at the school seem great and there are ample opportunities for the kids to get involved in activities. There’s a place on one of the bases called “The Hub” that has a climbing wall, ping pong tables, a pool table, a fitness center, a restaurant and bar, big screen TVs, and a play area for kids. And the use of this space is completely free. There’s also a Youth Center that has free activities for Middle School and High School students like a Dungeons and Dragons night and a cooking club. Ted is excited to get involved there!

Another piece of exciting news is that we found a house! We were fortunate enough to find a house in Brunssum. It’s close to the school, a park with a big pond and walking path, and shops and restaurants. We can literally walk (or bike if we want to act like the locals) to all of those places. Right now they are renovating the attic space, so it won’t be ready for us to move in until November. That means we’ll be at our guesthouse in Germany a little longer than expected, but I think it’s worth the wait.

And finally, the biggest bright spot for me has been the travel opportunities, and we’re just getting started! Our first trip outside of our immediate area was a group tour to Maastricht with all the new-hires. Maastricht is the biggest nearby city, about 25 minutes from the school. The city was covered in cobblestone streets, dotted with flowers and vines, and is centered around a big red cathedral. In true Netherlands fashion, our tour took place in the rain and we were able to get use out of our new rain jackets. We finished the evening with a late night, 3 course meal among new coworkers.

During our first free Saturday, our family took a little mini-trip to Valkenburg, Germany, a popular tourist destination for locals. In the Valkenburg city center, the streets are crowded with restaurants and shops. It kind of gave us a European Eureka Springs vibe. We ate at a place called Sunndays that had the prettiest terrace and the biggest burger that Ted ordered. After eating, we headed up the hill to the ruins of Valkenburg Castle, built in 1115 and demolished in 1122 and again in 1672. Being in a place that old always gives me a certain spooky, nostalgic feeling as I wonder about all the things that would have happened in this former castle. I was especially creeped out reading about the dungeon room that was basically a big pit with no escape.

On Sunday, we ventured to Aachen, Germany to return a temporary rental car. When we dropped off the car, I didn’t expect much of this industrial looking town. However, when we drove to the city center, we found beautiful old architecture in the city hall and old cathedral. We took an impromptu tour of the city hall which was quite grand and overlooked the church. We finished with a quick lunch and then headed back to the guesthouse to relax for the rest of the afternoon.

We’ve received lots of tips on places to visit. Everyone has their favorites. I predict that our weekends will be full of wandering around old European cities. The hardest part is deciding where to go next! There are so many hidden gems, and they are only a quick car trip away. And then we have longer breaks to look forward to where we can hop on a plane and dedicate a bit more time to further away areas. I’m already researching places for Fall Break. Will it be London, Malta, Dubrovnik, or Edinburg? So many options!

So there you have it- the positives outweigh the negatives and hopefully as we adjust to living here, it will continue to get easier. It’s going to be weird not having a job for the first time in my life, but I plan to volunteer at the school and maybe eventually sub. I think my main job right now is taking some of the weight off of Justin’s shoulders and being a cheerleader and planner for the family. Not a bad gig!