I think Holland is becoming home

On Monday we took Matt to the aquarium. It was his first visit. He sat snuggling in our arms and slowly looked at the fish swimming in the big glass tanks. He showed real interest in shiny silver fish and he also seemed to like the very large fish. The small jelly fish also kept his attention. After our stroll through the aquarium we went to the adjoining restaurant for a snack. There they had a kiddies play centre with various slides, trucks, and other fun toys. There were 4 other toddlers in the play area with Matt and me. Matt was slowly exploring the dog-shaped chairs whilst the other kiddies were up and down the climbing frame, running to and fro, and whizzing down the slide. I was watching them and I realized that I didn’t feel that sorrow that I used to feel – I wasn’t thinking “I wonder if Matt would have been like them if he didn’t have this syndrome”. In fact I was quite overwhelmed by their busyness, their loudness, their up and down and forward and backwards. I was reminded of those movie scenes where the main character is in focus and moving slowly while the rest of the scene is sped up to give the impression of the world rushing past the main character. That is how I felt. Matt and I sitting in a peaceful bubble and these other kids were just whizzing around us. I wonder if I am getting used to being in Holland and starting to really appreciate the slower pace.

I have been thinking about that this week and how best to describe the difference in our journey when comparing to typical kids. It is like comparing a road trip to a hike. On a road trip you can go a long distance and you see many different places. On a hike, the distance covered is not as extensive but you still get to see lots of things. You get to experience and discover things that you would surely miss if you were driving past in a car. I like the fact that Matt and I are hiking through life – he is showing me the pretty rocks, the interesting leaves, the funny looking bugs, and the cute little flowers of life that I haven’t ever noticed before. Sometimes I do still miss the rush of life in the car. Sometimes I look at my friends going places that we won’t get to in a while and feel a bit down. But mostly I like that fact that I have stepped out of speedy world of cars and am now learning to meander through life and enjoy the sights and sounds along the way. Yes I think I am finding a home in Holland.