Month One

Today marks the Nash family's one month anniversary of living in Amsterdam (and also Grayson's nine month birthday)! I thought it would be an appropriate time to recall some of the things we've experienced in this new city/country/time zone/continent. We have:

• traveled across the Atlantic Ocean with an eight month old baby and 16 pieces of luggage
• attended a national Vineyard conference one day after entering the country
• spent two weeks as roomates with Brooke & Allie
• figured out the difference between a 1 and 2 Euro coin
• rented an apartment
• already begun to feel at home in our new place
  
• bought bikes
• thought our bikes were stolen
• found out that they were really just confiscated by the "bike police"
  
• ridden bikes in the rain
• bought rain gear
• also ridden on trams, trains, buses, metros
• posted a lot of videos of Grayson on Youtube
  
• made dutch pancakes, aka crepes, for the first time
• made apple turnovers (almost) from scratch
• shopped at a few different outdoor markets
• attempted to use what little Dutch we know at appropriate times (e.g. "Een zone, alstublieft." Translation: "One zone, please," when getting our ticket stamped on the tram. Easy, yes...but also a confidence builder!)
• learned how to work our oven/microwave
  
• read a lot of instruction manuals that are written in Dutch
• become familiar with the layout of our street's Albert Heijn supermarket
• found a place to watch soccer
• became experts at "skyping"
• checked our facebook pages way too often for news back home
• avoided most of the election mudslinging
• bought a pumpkin for Grayson the day after halloween
• worshiped in Dutch
• registered for language school
• continued to build relationships with our friends here in Holland
• written more blog entries than I ever could have imagined

It is obviously difficult to put into words everything we've experienced thus far. But in everything, we have felt the grace and love of God - that is the most important experience of our time here so far.

I'd like to quote a short passage from the book My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. In the October 27th entry he says, "the challenge of the missionary does not come on the line that people are difficult to get saved...the one great challenge is - Do I know my Risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit?"

Even in our first month here, we have the deep realization that that is the great challenge. Not how successful we are at navigating a new culture, but how connected we are to Jesus. So hopefully, at the end of month two we can add to the bullet-point list: "have known our risen Lord and the power of His indwelling Spirit in a deeper way."

Thank you for your continued prayers and support from across the pond. We truly could not do this without you...

Tot ziens,
John

Moving Day

Exactly two weeks ago today Amanda, Grayson and I hopped on a plane that brought us to Amsterdam. We've been so graciously hosted for these 14 days by Brooke and Allie, living in Allie's loft bedroom. It has been wonderful...but now it is time to move into our own home! This afternoon at 6pm (or, for you eastern time-zoners, 12pm) we sign the contracts on our first apartment here in the city.

This whole process seems to have been simply guided by the Grace of Jesus. We found an apartment quickly, it is in a great neighborhood, the price is perfect for our budget, and it has everything that we need. Plus it is geographically situated en route from the Pickerill's apartment to Brooke & Allie's. We are only a short bike ride from a great outdoor market, the center of the city is about 10 minutes away, and all of the shops we would need for everyday living are on our block. What more could we have asked for?

The neighborhood that we are moving to is called the "Rivierenbuurt," and it has its own distinct feel, as each neighborhood does in Amsterdam. Feel free to read about it here or here.

Because we are just moving in today, we will be sans internet for a couple days; though getting our modem is high on the priority list. Once we get settled, we'll be sure to post pictures of the apartment.

If you are interested in our mailing address, contact us and we'll be sure to get it to you!

Love and miss you all.

A Big Day

Well, this was quite a big day for us. We found out in the morning that the owner accepted our bid for the apartment - so we now have a home in Amsterdam! Right after finding that out, we went down and bought our bike at a nearby shop. We even got a seat for Grayson. Man, I wish I would have gone on some Tour de Highs. That would have prepared me a little for the bike culture here. Anyone planning on visiting should start riding with the crew from Joshua House now!

We rode the bikes home on back roads and Grayson absolutely LOVED it. He couldn't stop laughing and smiling. Even before we had the bikes out of the shop, he was reaching for the handlebars wanting to ride. We then came home, and the whole Nash clan took a nap. It was the first really good nap we've had yet. Gray slept over 2 hours! Prayer after prayer being answered...man you guys really are praying for us aren't you?

When we woke up, we rode our bikes with Brooke down to the Rijks Museum and looked at some Rembrants for about 1/2 hour till Gray got tired. Amazing. Then we rode home...in the DARK! All went well, and Grayson went to sleep like a champ. Wow. What an overwhelming day of blessing from God. We are so grateful - I can hardly express. Thank you so much those of you praying for us...we feel it loud and clear.

-Amanda