Isaac & I went to see Mom/Dad and take them out for a ride and Mom to some stores in their new location....this is the first in a while because the winter weather. So we drove them out of town and then went to a few shops just to look.
Dad when we got in the town was talking about Langweer and where it is and wantin going by the place, I try to redirect the conversation, attempted to explain we were in Iowa, snow difficult to travel, Holland is across the ocean and so forth. Asked him "why?", he wanted to see the house, Uncle Sipke and his birth place. I just listen as Dad not able to understand or reason where we are. The last place we stop was a little Dollar Store for mom to pick up a few things and Dad is now frustrated with me, "why can't I just go where I want ?, I just want to see my birth place" [this is something I think now that dad has suppressed and now coming out in his old age and confused mind, at the age of 26 left his family, country, and customs for better oppurtunity. He married, had a family, learned new language and customs. Yet he still has a family & a land that he left behind]
Dad, Aunt Neeltje, Uncle Sipke (Aunt Rutje deceased 1949)Grandpa Brant & Grandma Jetske
picture taken in 19--
Iowa...mid USA---- Langweer, Netherlands, Europe
2 comments:
Thanks, Janna! I know it must be hard.
glad you wrote about this...we really don't understand what it was like to do this...guess I always thought what it was like for us and not for him...we are still learning day by day...
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