Hot Dam!

Go Doug!

Yesterday, Doug ran the annual Dam to Dam race, a 10-mile run from AmsterDAM to ZaanDAM just  outside the city.  He's has been training since the beginning of August, and it's a pretty cool race to be a part of in the Dutch running world.

The day was definitely celebratory, but also one of closure.  One month ago, Doug left Starbucks Coffee and is now exploring other opportunities. Yesterday, he ran a race for a local charity on behalf of Starbucks, committed, as always, even at the end of this chapter of his career.

He is taking some much-deserved time off to recalibrate, to relax, and, most especially, to spend time with Abigail and Reese. 

We were able to spend the entire month of August together as a family on vacation in France, and now that school is back in session, Doug is full of joy to be a part of school drop-off and pick-up, the hustle-bustle of kid activities, and the daily routine.  The bakfiets isn't just for moms! 

Doug will also spend the month of November in Rwanda, a place for which he has great affection.  His first experience in Rwanda was with Starbucks, working with coffee farmers and building a much-needed medical facility in a rural village. In November, he will plug himself into a couple of US aid projects, work with local businesses about effective business practices, and get to do the Diane Fossey gorilla trail.

Doug's departure from Starbucks is a long story, and it is enough to say that it was an amicable departure, sad for all to have to say goodbye.  Doug and I met at Starbucks, and between the two of us shared almost twenty years there.  We believe in Starbucks: the product and the culture.  We value its mission statement and its commitment to its employees, the farmers in origin countries, and other social causes.  Starbucks has been a part of our little family for a long time.

It is for this reason, and the fact that our move to Amsterdam is so recent that this transition has been a bit of a roller coaster.  We set out on this big adventure just fifteen months ago, and it takes a lot of energy and time to move abroad and get settled in a foreign country.  We were just taking a big deep breath when we learned things were probably going to change again.  Our biggest concern is Abigail and Reese, so for now we are doing what we can to keep them stable in school in Amsterdam for as long as possible until we know where we're headed next.  It's a complicated path to choose, but the most stable.

I've hesitated to write about our transition because it's scary and difficult and not always smiley-happy.  For good or bad, in this world of social media, we all tend to up-play the good moments in our lives when we post, and downplay the bad or difficult.  Facebook posts can be deceiving.  Yet, in my opinion, that okay.  A good friend of mine celebrated the positive nature of most people's posts, insomuch as we look to post when we're feeling a burst of love or affection or we're proud or being thoughtful.  It doesn't mean life is like that all the time, and the desire to share the joyful moments is hardly a bad thing.  It's about keeping ourselves in check when we see other people's posts--recognizing that everyone's story is multifaceted and that challenge is relative to our own experiences. 

In the end, I decided to post because of all the reasons I mentioned above.  I'm proud of Doug.  He deserves this post. He's in the most vulnerable position out of all of us, with the biggest burden.  But you wouldn't know it.  He's embarking on this journey with positivity, optimism, discipline, hard work and a smile.  I'm so impressed by him.  He always takes the high road, and he always leaves things on a high note.  Yesterday was no exception. 

And to that I say . . . "Hot Dam Damn!"  Love you, Doug.