Socks and Berger cookies

          Today was a fantastic day. It started off with Sarah, Maddie and I finally getting our residence permit cards. I can now officially say I live in the Netherlands, even if the only thing I can say in Dutch is hello, goodbye, thank you, and no I don't have a Bonus Card. After that we had some time before school so we got coffee at a bakery and I had a delicious ham and cheese croissant. We then passed by Claire's where Maddie insisted she needed a small hairbrush so she can brush her hair after she walks to school because "it just gets so ratty" and "I can't put my hair up because it's too heavy and gives me a headache". Okay. I haven't been in a Claire's since I had braces, and even then I at least went to the more mature store for tweens, Icing. BUT THEN my eyes gravitated towards this notepad!

Penny HIIIIII!!!!!!!! 

I resisted the urge to buy it, but I applaud Claire's for their wonderful taste in 

hedgehog shaped notepads. 

          After Maddie got her hairbrush (with pink polka dots obviously), we went to school where I finally put money on my student card! Now I can buy food and coffee! This doesn't seem like a large feat but after almost a month of walking past coffee every day and not being able to buy it, it is. After class we went in search of a gym membership (my pants are starting to feel the effect of too many stroopwafels and pita gyros) at a women's only gym right by our apartments. After being told they only offered year memberships (sad face), we found another gym that allowed us to have a 6 month membership after about an hour of haggling! Our new gym is awesome, with tons of classes, a swimming pool, free coffee and tea which is a HUGE plus considering a shot of coffee is about 2.50 euro, and brimming with tons of good looking, fit, single men middle aged people who only speak Dutch. 

          Feeling awesome, I walked home and to my surprise my roommate, Mary, told me I had a package from the United States! Me?! A package?!?!! Okay I eagerly check my mail box every day but I never expected a package! And there, waiting for me outside my door, is this beauty. 

          I ripped open that bad boy like it was Christmas morning and could not believe my eyes. 

At last but certainly not least....

          You may think, Laura, why would Megan's mom send you socks? Well my friends, I seemed to think three pairs of socks and some slipper-like socks would suffice for six months. This is not the case. So I proceeded to buy more socks so I didn't have to wear the same pair of socks three days in a row (sometimes more). Somehow I'm again having to wear the same pair of socks multiple days in a row. Either my roommates are stealing my socks or the washing machine is eating them. Either way I could not be happier about ten new pairs of socks. Say socks again. Socks. 

          And while there is a part of me that asks myself, "Laura you just joined a gym, you are going to share those Berger cookies with your roommates so they are able to experience the Maryland slice of Heaven that is a Berger cookie, right?" The sad answer is no, probably not. Does that make me a bad person? If you are from Maryland, you already know the answer. If you aren't, I don't want to hear your answer.

          So THANK YOU Mrs. Tish and Mr. Pat for my wonderful package!! Even though I sort of gave you the wrong address, it found it's way to me and my feet and I couldn't be happier! 

          After the excitement of my package, I received an email from my mom telling me my family officially booked their flight to the Netherlands for my 21st birthday! Okay, it wasn't exactly for my birthday, but my dad conveniently has a conference in the Netherlands the day before my birthday, so my entire family will be here for ten days! They are going to stay in Amsterdam for five days, and then go to France where hopefully I will be able to travel with them! My family is nuts (see picture below) and I miss them so much. 

If only Penny could come! Any takers for who wants to babysit her?!