We would like to thank everybody for celebrating here the marriage of Jan- Willem and Jasmine. We would like to tell you something about his youth.
Jan-Willem was born November 13th 1979 in Brugge Belgium as the 2 year younger brother from Erik. He grew up in Aardenburg and later in Oostburg.
Jan-Willem was an active boy and liked to play with his brother and joined each activity that was being organised. At the age of 2 he joined the playgroup where he excelled in singing his own composed songs which all other children enthusiastically sang along.
In Kindergarten farewell party they where the children where performing as circus artists. Jan-Willem didn’t had to think long and wanted to be a heavy weightlifter.
So Antoine had to make according to his directions weights and fill them with sand, the weights couldn’t be heavy enough he was off course the “strongest” man. At the age of 6 he wanted to go and play soccer and joined the local club, all 6-7 year olds running after enthusiastically the ball. Jan-willem could be found all over the whole field and had enough energy for 10. We was a keen player supporting the whole team.
As a family we often in the weekends went away, visiting things, going to the forest or with grandma and granddad camping, he did this often and with great pleasure.
Upbringing went well and without any problems. In elementary school he was a good and quite student, liked sports and going with his friends windsurfing on a lake nearby in Belgium.
After elementary school and secondary school he went to study business in Delft and found a student flat to share. He also joined a student association shortly after starting and fulfilled a role of treasurer with the association, he also joined the “Highlanders” another student association to also enjoy the student live. With this off course he would wear a Scottish quilt.
In his last year he wanted to do a traineeship in Australia, we found it a bit scary at first, being so far away but encouraged him to go. Together with his friend Maurice they left for Down Under. Near Tatura he did a traineeship at a fruit farm. Regularly we received messages that he enjoyed it very much and that the Australians where very relaxed people. Back in Holland we heard him saying he wanted to go back and we learnt he got to know this very nice girl called Jasmine.
After having finished his studies in Delft, he left for Melbourne to study for 1 year and complete his masters. Again after returning home he wanted to find a job in Australia to be with Jasmine. We were a bit afraid but we soon realised he was very serious.
In 2002 we first met Jasmine and instantly liked her very much. In the past 9 years we got the chance to get to know each other more despite the large distance. We visited Australia a few times where we also got to know Mandy, Linton and Emma and are we were very happy to know Jasmine came from such a loving family and Jan-Willem being part of this.
Despite all the modern communication tools such as skype, it remains difficult to have to miss each other but the happiness of Jan-Willem and Jasmine compensates a lot, their happiness is our happiness and we are very happy to welcome Jasmine in our family.
I would like to close with a small poem
Trust in each other
Trust in life
This cannot mean anything else
Than a beautiful future
Dear Jan-Willem and Jasmine, for two happy people our deepest wishes and we hope that this shining day in love and happiness may continue.
[Written on the occasion of Jan William’s marriage to Jasmine Ferguson by Annie De Milliano in 2011.]