Moving Back to the States: Amsterdam

[Dutch Lock Down Day Five Hundred Four]

Lots of tears.

So much sweat.

And one train ride later.

The twins are NOT sleeping and it’s WELL past their bedtime.

#understandable

We’re in Amsterdam.

But first the news:

• Dance teacher, holiday firms bring in vaccination requirement
• More flights with Covid-positive passengers than previously thought: report
• Coronavirus average falls for 18th straight day; Covid hospital total nudges up again

Every once in a while – all day today – I forget that it’s the sixth and then it hits me the sixth and I have a little panic attack, “OMG TOMORROW’S THE SEVENTH WE FLY TO AMERICA TOMORROW OMG”

Because tomorrow’s loomed for SO LONG, it feels surreal that it’s finally HERE.

Tomorrow we fly to America.

All of us.

We hope.

See, cause, everything I read, the CDC, the USDA, Michigan’s website, the International Flight Administration, and even the EU advice on animal movement – NONE of them require that a cat *leaving* the Netherlands and *entering* the United States slash the state of Michigan require that a cat have a twenty one day old rabies shot.

#NONE

Except when we called the vet to get her health certificate, they *INSISTED* she did. And a pet passport.

And they gave me their referenced website and it totally DID say that a cat needs a twenty one day old rabies shot. For travel WITHIN the EU.

But she’s not travelling TO an EU country, she’s LEAVING an EU country, and they came around to our side of the story, gave her the shot, filled out the requested paperwork AND gave us a pet passport and sent us on our way.

But.

Now we’re super concerned that Zoe SackOfPotatoes BlackShadow Underfoot PoopsTheRug OldLadyCat Leander McGee will be rejected at the gate.

Which is why a close friend [Hi, A!] came down to Amsterdam with us, to whisk her away and take her back to Groningen for another fourteen days, and one of us will have to fly back over just to pick up a cat, if she is.

We hope that the universe will recognize how much effort we’re doing for this sweet old lady cat and give us a break, but, tomorrow morning when we’re checking into our flight around 0800 Central European Time?

We could really use your Thoughts and Prayers.

And, for realsies though, all the good vibes you can muster.