We here at the VanLaanen Huis are gearing up for the eminently approaching “changing of the guardians”. It’s going to be such an incredible and bittersweet transition. It’s three weeks away now. It doesn’t seem real yet. It’s happening though, and the plane tickets are set. Even so, it seems completely surreal. After one year with us as the VanLaanen Au Pair, aka Lake’s best friend and social organizer, it’s nearing Jo’s time to move on. Jo will be leaving early on January 9th and Luisa arrives late on January 10th.

Luisa will be our family’s new Au Pair, coming directly from Germany via a few days of Au Pair orientation in New York. Thankfully Nana will be spending the week with Lake during this transition. Luisa will have time to get settled and oriented and recover from jet lag. We are very excited to welcome Luisa! She is also from Germany, southern Germany, near Freiburg. Lake will be continuing his German education sofort!

You may be wondering,

How did this changing of the guardians line up? Is there a story there?

It is a story of effort and surrender. A story of hard work searching for just the right fit and of meticulously combing Germany. A story of letting go of Jo and of the looming deadline. And in that pause between the inhale and the exhale emerged Luisa in the final hour… Lake’s up and coming guardian angel.