Ivo Janssen

Just kidding about the title, hopefully this title doesn't need any sequence or year modifier!! So here are some more details after last week's quick announcement.

So, Chantal and I are engaged! It all started when my dad said he was going to throw a big 60th Birthday Bash. I checked my frequent flyer miles, and it turned out I had enough to actually take Chantal as well. At that moment, I knew that this was the perfect opportunity for the proposal. I kept it a secret to everyone (except a few coworkers in the week leading up to my trip), so it was a surprise to Chantal, my family, everyone.

On Monday 19 November, we first met my dad in downtown Heerlen for lunch and after that I asked Chantal to go for a ride around town to do "some sightseeing". I took her to Castle "Hoensbroek". The significance of this spot is that this is where my parents' formal wedding pictures were taken and I thought it was a great place where I could tie in my parents marriage to our own future. I've always liked their wedding picture and I'm so happy that this spot will now play an important part of my life as well. Not to mention that Chantal had indicated on previous trips that she really liked the castle and the atmosphere surrounding it. A perfect place! So exactly 4 years after we met, in my home country, I asked Chantal to marry me, and in line with American tradition, give her an engagement ring.



And that's not even half of the trip. Apart from celebrating my dad's 60th birthday, we met up with my grandma, took a nice walk in the Voerendaal countryside and attended my sister's fundraising dinner for her Kenya orphanage "Upendo Children's Centre". A packed and most rewarding week!



As always, pictures are in my album.