It's officially spring! I know, a couple weeks late, but, still I'm excited. Although, with the weather here, you wouldn't really know for sure that we had made the transition yet. 
Winter was quite hard this year, so we can officially say we have experienced a Dutch winter, which we had been warned. The canals froze for the first time in years and so we were able to watch and experience ice skating on the canals. It was amazing, it just seemed to make everyone so happy.
A few days after the first day of spring is Kevin's birthday. Birthdays are big here so I threw a party. I invited all of our neighbors and friends and we had a great time just getting to know everyone better. I had been apprehensive about hosting a party because I felt like maybe it was too soon. I was wrong. Everyone seemed genuinely excited about coming. It made me think maybe I should have thrown a party sooner. But, it did make me think, who doesn't want to come to a party?! 
They even brought gifts, which was just humbling. We don't know each other that well and to take the time and effort to go and purchase a gift for him was, well, it left us speechless. We have been blessed beyond what we can describe when it comes to the people that God has brought into our life. They are becoming friends and for that I am so thankful. 
We are anxious for the coming months because of all of the visitors that will be on our side of the ocean. So, even if we don't get the sun a whole lot this spring, at least, we will be enjoying the company of some pretty special people.
In the meantime, Kevin is in the beginning stages of raising funds for the bookstore. I would like to ask you to pray for him and us as we pursue this seemingly enormous task. If you want to find out more about what we are doing the website is www.project514.org
I hope you are enjoying your spring and are able to take time and reflect about Easter. This year we are going to be attending a church in the city and we are really looking forward to being with other believers in celebrating Jesus' resurrection. 
I look forward to the day when the community of believers, unknown to us right now, is meeting and celebrating Jesus.