By now, we’ve even welcomed some returning visitors aboard: my mum has been twice already, and now also my dear friend Janneke and her daughter Teuntje. It’s truly special to be able to enjoy each other’s company so intensely for a whole week.

Of course, when you’re travelling like we are, the biggest downside is that you miss people. But honestly, we’ve found a really good rhythm for that. Thanks to the wonders of social media and video calls, we feel completely connected to our friends and family back home. In fact, I sometimes find myself speaking to some people more often now that I actually have the time, compared to before!

And there’s something incredibly powerful about sharing a whole week together. It means you really experience each other, you have time for deep conversations, for laughter, for creating memories that you’ll carry with you always. So much more meaningful than just a quick coffee or a dinner.

This past week, we thoroughly enjoyed having our two visitors on board, what we like to call our “bonus family.”

Family comes in many forms these days. My very dear friend Janneke and I have both walked winding paths to motherhood, mine marked by loss before Philou, hers by the brave, conscious choice to become a beautiful solo mum. While we once hoped for bigger families, we are so grateful for the precious daughters we have been given. And for our girls, there’s a little bonus: they get to feel a sense of sisterhood, even without being biological sisters.

From the very start, we called them bonus sisters, a term we lovingly chose to give them that sense of connection. Watching them together now is truly beautiful. Philou takes her role as big sister very seriously, and little Teun copies everything she does. There may not be a blood tie, but the bond they share runs deep, and we, as mothers, are so proud of that.

Having the privilege of spending their holidays on board together for the second time, we feel just how precious it is to share so much time and make these memories as one extended family. Philou seems to be finding her own way in this rhythm too, you can see her savouring every moment, perhaps even more deeply than before, knowing that these moments are, for now, finite. You notice her preparing herself for the goodbyes, bravely calling out “see you soon!” after the big hugs, though a few tears always follow.

And then we slip back into our familiar rhythm, the three of us, close together, moving forward. The first day after such a lovely visit is always a bit of an adjustment: we reflect on the special memories made, we feel a little sad that they’re gone, but then we carry on and start creating new memories again.

Because that’s the beautiful thing about this journey: even when you say goodbye, you’re left with something lasting. Shared stories, inside jokes, new adventures that become part of the tapestry of your life. And knowing that, even as you sail ahead, there will always be a next time to look forward to.

Written by: Mirjam