To Amanda, one of the most rewarding things in life was watching the kids grow up and watching the family expand. The day of the girls’ 7th and 14th birthdays, the van Loon family headed back to New York for a brief visit to the Barthels. The girls were absolutely in love with baby Jesse, and Kobe was he a handsome little one.
“Congratulations on finally having a boy,” Amanda had teased Rico. He’d chuckled. “I know right.” Ceci seemed tired and not quite eager to have guests, so Amanda made sure that their visit wasn’t very long. They did, however, leave a plethora of gifts for Lucie, Rhea, and for Jesse and the new mama, of course. Amanda understand Ceci’s exhaustion. It was difficult adjusting to life with three children when one had been accustomed to two. “Don’t worry,” she’d said. “Things will feel perfectly natural soon.” ~~ With just a couple of days left in New York, the van Loons decided to make the best of each day. Soon, they would return to London, but Amanda felt a little guilty to leave her brother and sister-in-law once again. She knew, from her own experience, that it was nice to have family nearby when there was a new baby in the picture. Just some additional support. She felt torn between the home she’d grown to love as a child, and the home she’d come to find comfort in as an adult. There was family in London, but also family right in New York. As she lay in bed with Niels, she asked, “Do you think we should stay here a bit longer? How do you think the kids would feel? They’re growing up… it’s harder to move them around at our own will now.” “It sure is,” said Niels. “But we’ll figure it out.”
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Amanda at a GlanceNames: Amanda Pontremoli, Amanda van Loon Archives
August 2017
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