A day of family history

Today we went just north of Amsterdam to a Village called Tuindorp Oostzaan where Danny's Grandpa Johann Zippro lived when he was younger. It was really neat to be in the neighborhood and look around. We have read his incredible history and thought about his family actually being there...We also could picture the place nearby where he hid from the soldiers during the war and to realize how far his mother rode her bike to Rotterdam to check on the Saints there after it was bombed. It all just became so much more real and we loved being there.

These were the townhouses, his door is on the left.

This is from the corner of the neighborhood.
This was a picture I took of his home from outside the window. You can see a small living area and the kitchen behind on the right. It is two stories with two bedrooms upstairs.

The kids both found snails along the way.

The next door neighbor came out when we were snooping around taking pictures. Her name was Mrs. Ekelschot, and although she didn't live there when the Zippros did, it was great to talk to her about her own experiences living in that area. She was very interested in the stories we knew about the Zippro's life there. It made the experience even better.I doubt this wading pool was there in the 1930s, but it was a great open wading pool and a big grassy area right in the middle of the neighborhood. Isabelle enjoyed splashing around.

Later that day we went to visit with some of the Zippro's close friends Rob and Els Goudsmit. Els lived in the same neighborhood (as above) with the Zippros and was best friends with grandpa's sister, Cory Zippro. Then later in life, the Goudsmit's lived in Salt Lake City for a medical internship and became very close to John and Marion and their young children in the 60s, and then visited when Danny was a small boy. WE FORGOT TO TAKE PICTURES!!! I was so upset about it after I wanted to turn around and go back! We visited with them for a few hours and it was one of the best opportunities. To hear more about family in Holland and family in Utah. It was priceless to have that time with them.