Facebook and social media can sometimes give you a false impression of other peoples lives. I know that I rarely post anything negative, if you were to believe my Facebook statuses, I’d be super happy all the time, with well dressed, well behaved children, a perfect marriage, lots of holidays and heaps of fun times.
When I caught up with one of my oldest mates in Australia last year, the first thing she said to me was “please tell me your life isn’t as perfect as it seems on Facebook”. Of course it’s bloody not. There’s a fine line though between being honest and being a boring whinger.
But in the spirit of honesty, let me tell you that this year (even though it’s only March) has been the shittiest year I’ve had in a long long time.
The winter has been long and grey. I don’t mind the cold, but the grey is super depressing. The sky is low and it envelopes everything.
Add to that, I’m pregnant and let me tell you that your third trimester of your third pregnancy is not nearly as enchanting as your first and at a stretch your second.
We’ve had to buy a freaking Prius! As one friend over here referred to it as a ‘vagina on wheels’.
Miss E hasn’t slept through the night in forever, in fact she’s up for 2 hours every night. She and Miss A need to share a room to make way for the baby so it’s been a great big fat disaster.
I realised how small the expat community here is, and how it can all turn on a dime when there’s a falling out. It has a knock on effect. Mutual friends are forced into taking sides, left uncomfortable and social events are a minefield of awkwardness
It’s been so shit that I haven’t called or spoken to any of my friends of family at home because I have absolutely nothing nice to say. My sisters texts started to get a bit frantic after 4 weeks of being incommunicado – but I’ve never been one to just complain. It wouldn’t wash in our house to be honest.
So, to be honest with you all – I’ve had my finger hovering over the Emirates flight home – but now it is too late. I can’t fly at this late stage in my pregnancy and I’m stuck.
Dave has been travelling a lot, in fact he’s away now. I’m exhausted and petrified to have 3 children and 2 under 13 months!
Some positive things are that we have hired an angel of an au pair. She is delightful. She uses her initiative and has fit in super well with the family (and my eccentricities). The sun has started to shine more frequently, I found a great little café that serves a mean and delicious eggs Benedict (though in true dutch style it doesn’t open until 10!), I’ve still got a great deal of support from the expat and local community here – and am loved by and love a bunch of super cool chicks, we’ve hired a sleep consultant for Miss E and she seems to be settling.
So, whilst Facebook and Instagram suggest that life is all peachy – just remember we all have shit going down behind closed doors.
ClarkterstraatNL 
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