Dear Wietske,



I think about you often. It's hard to believe five years have passed. Though you were in my life for only a short time, you made such a lasting impression.



We met during that beautiful, chaotic, and nerve-wracking stage of early motherhood, both of us navigating postpartum life and trying to do our best for these tiny humans we were suddenly responsible for. Your calm, open, and relaxed personality was the perfect balance to my own anxiety and my fear of "doing it wrong." As an English-speaking expat who desperately needed a "mom friend," you opened your heart and your home to me, and the impact of that kindness has stayed with me ever since.



And now, our boys are six (!!!!). It's incredible to see how big and grown they are. So different than the little babies we were worried about.



Your life was so beautiful, which makes your passing feel all the more unfair and hard to comprehend. The memory of your warmth and friendship lives on, but the lessons from your life—and your loss—also shape the way I parent every single day. You taught me that life can be wonderful and the world is full of friendly people, but also that our time here is short, sometimes unfairly so, and not to be taken for granted.



When days are hard and I find myself frustrated by the drudgery of parenting (so many dishes!), it would be easy to sulk. But then I think of you, and your life serves as a powerful reminder of how precious and fleeting our time is. Thinking of you reminds me to be more loving, more kind, and more grateful for every single moment. I hug Watson a little extra when I think about you. It feels unfair that you aren't here as Jonas grows, but I like to imagine you are still near to him and seeing the incredible man he is becoming.



You are so missed and your memory lives on. Sander and Jonas, I send big hugs to you both. And happy (belated) 6th Birthday, little man! :)



With love, Kaitlyn

Denk er soms aan om mijn Facebook account te verwijderen maar deze herinneringen zijn me te dierbaar.



Moet soms ineens aan je denken. Laatst was ik bij het kinder theater van Podium Sprits in Zuilen en dacht ineens, dit zou Wietske echt leuk gevonden hebben om met Jonas te doen. Soms loop ik op de markt op Vredenburg en koop dan altijd amandelen omhuld in tiramisu chocolade omdat jij die altijd kocht als we afspraken. Soms denk ik dat ik je zie lopen maar dan ben je het niet. Laatst liep ik langs Psytrec en bedankte je dat jij hier hebt gewerkt. Soms appt mijn stiefmoeder die op de Hoogstraat werkt me dat ze even aan jou en mij dacht toen je daar even als medisch secretaresse werkte.



Soms zomaar ineens.. mis ik je het meest.