Suite Life

Life as we know it is quite different nowadays!

If you remember, I posted at the end of last year (link) that we would be moving from Nebraska to Pennsylvania for Dan's job. Well, that relocation is now *nearly* complete! Our house got packed up at the end of May and we made the drive across the country from Lincoln, Nebraska to Easton, Pennsylvania over Memorial Day weekend. 

However, we did not secure a home during our March house hunting trip to Pennsylvania. That means we were left with finding temporary housing until we could secure a more permanent solution. Cue "The Suite Life of the Clark Family"!

Since we arrived on May 27th, our family of 3 has shared a two bedroom, one bathroom hotel suite smaller than my and Dan's first apartment! 😂 We hope to close on a home here by the end of July but have the hotel booked until mid-August, just in case. Let me tell you, it has certainly been an adventure!

So if you ever find yourself in a hotel for a long-term stay, here are my favorite tips for loving the "suite life":

1. Don't overpack! Your room will probably end up being smaller than you think so be as ruthless as you can when packing. I'm pretty sure we all overpacked a little on clothes but thankfully the storage has helped it not be too much of an issue. 😉 I most definitely overpacked lightweight jackets and sweaters. Scour your hotel's website to see if they have a list of what's in the rooms along with diagrams of the layout. Especially if there is a kitchenette, check what they keep in it so you know what you don't have to bring. We also checked with the front desk when we found out that they have items they can lend to guests. That said…
2. Pack something that will help it feel like home. This is especially true if you are going to be there an extended time like we have been. I brought some artwork that friends had given us as going away gifts along with my essential oils (which the moving company wouldn't pack anyway) and a compact diffuser to use with them. I even packed my crock pot to make cooking meals in the room a little easier. All of these have helped bring a bit of beauty and familiarity to our temporary home.

   

   Beautiful gifts from wonderful friends

3. Unpack! Make use of all the closet and drawer space in both the bedroom and bathroom. It feels much better pulling clothes out of a drawer than it does a suitcase. Related to that…
4. Stow the luggage. Once you've unpacked, make use of every space and corner to get your luggage out of the way. Nest it inside each other and stuff it in the corner somewhere. The more you condense it, the more space you have to move around the room.
5. Don't feel like you have to get it all right immediately. Figuring out the storage situation will take time. We had things lined along the kitchen wall behind the entrance door for weeks before I figured out better places to store them.
6. Get to know the staff and make use of their resources. It has been fun getting to know the staff at our hotel. Shay at the front desk has been indispensable in helping us, Willmary in hospitality gave our munchkin crayons and pictures to color while I got done work done on the hotel computer, and Jason in maintenance helped to quickly fix some issues in our room. We figured out pretty quick that we needed more hangers and that a place setting of 4 was not enough silverware for us, even when we try to use some plastic silverware. A quick call down to the front desk landed us some extra hangers, forks, and spoons. Don't be afraid to ask! The worst they can do is tell you no or that they don't have what you need. If you're there long-term, it definitely pays to make friends.
7. Be flexible! Some things are out of your control or the staff's control! After six weeks in one room, the roof started leaking and we had to move to another room that same night. Most things that have happened are merely an inconvenience and not any fault of the staff's. The more you can roll with the punches, the less stressed you'll be about things that are outside your control anyway. Control what you can (your emotions and actions, etc) and don't stress about what is already in God's hands. As some military friends taught us, "Semper Gumby!" 

That's about all for now! It has certainly been an interesting 7 weeks so far and we probably have about 2.5 weeks left before we are fully moved out and into our new home! I know I'm definitely looking forward to having a full-size kitchen again and my own bed to sleep in! Until then, I will continue to be grateful for the ways God has provided during our stay here and pray that closing goes smoothly!!

Soli Deo Gloria,

Meghan

Six Years

This September, we celebrated six years of living in Nebraska! I love Nebraska. This is where we've spent the majority of our married lives so far. This is where my son was born, where I became first a stay-at-home wife then a stay-at-home Momma. We bought our first house here and made it a home. We've made friends and walked through pretty much every major life-changing event with them from weddings to births to funerals. I have really loved living in Nebraska.

But… (you knew it was coming, didn't you?)

We won't make it to 7 years. God (and GSK) has seen fit to open the door for us to relocate for Dan's job. Where you may ask?

New Jersey.

Or at least that's where Dan's office will be. God has a sense of humor because this was one state I told my husband where I didn't really want to live. I guess I've been spoiled by the slower pace of life in the cornhusker state. ;) Nevertheless, this is where our next adventure is heading.

Thankfully, we have time. With Munchkin's school year and especially the medical testing and surgeries I've been undergoing, the company is giving us some leniency in the timing of our move. We're looking at a late spring 2019 date as our departure time frame which gives us ~6-7 months right now, give or take.

So we're forming our bucket list for Nebraska alongside our to-do list for New Jersey. One of the things that's been hard for me to process is that we've already had so many “lasts” here in Nebraska and didn't even realize it. And now that I can realize it, I'm an emotional mess as we continue to experience more “lasts”.

We have truly enjoyed our time calling Nebraska “home”. We will always carry a piece of it with us, no matter where we may end up. And we will certainly always carry our friendships and the people we've met in our hearts. Thank you for being a part of our journey and this chapter of our story.

Here's to the next chapter and more adventures!

Soli Deo Gloria,

Meghan

Third Anniversary: Colorado Edition

So I'm a little behind on updates...blame it on the pregnancy brain and lack of energy. Also, fair warning, this post contains a LOT of photos! But considering I took more than 1,200...I think I showed decent restraint. ;)

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On September 4th, Dan and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary. 3 years feels both short and long at the same time. I feel like so much has happened in such a short period of time. The years have been wonderful, if at times challenging, but I wouldn't trade them for anything.

To celebrate 3 years, we treated ourselves to a mountain retreat in Estes Park, Colorado. It was my first trip to Estes but Dan's first trip to Colorado at all! He was really excited to see the mountains and kept looking for them to come into view as we drove west.
 

Driving through the mountains on our approach to Estes

 We are so thankful to our friends, Jeff and Julie Abel, who recommended not only our hotel but places to eat and things to see as well. We had a room with a balcony right on the river that ran through town with a view of the mountains beyond and were right on the trolley route to and from town when we didn't feel like walking. 

Our View

We absolutely loved exploring the town of Estes Park. Our first couple of days we just explored downtown as we adjusted to the altitude. We enjoyed wandering around town looking at the shops, riding the trolley around the see more of the town when our legs (and lungs) got tired. The Stanley Hotel made for a delightful afternoon of touring and soaking in the gardens.

In front of The Stanley

Enjoying the gardens

Watching the fishermen while waiting for the trolley

After our adventures in town, we spent a whole day driving through and exploring Rocky Mountain National Park. Dan had brought out the map and decided, since the weather was nice, that we would take the dirt road up the mountain, then join the paved road for the rest of the trek through the park. It was quite exhilarating driving that little, one-way dirt road! Thankfully, there were plenty of pulloff areas to be able to enjoy the beauty around us from outside of the car. We also had some fun by setting our GPS unit to display our current altitude and then watching it climb! (Lots of pictures ahead!)

Entrance to Old Fall River Road

One of the first stops...he was bummed it was closed so we couldn't hike down to the river

Looking back down at the valley as we ascend

Spotted this guy at one of our first stops on the road

Love the sound of rushing water

Getting higher!

You can see the snow pack that still hadn't melted over the summer

Finally above the tree line!

At the rest stop at the summit...it was a little chilly up there!

We had lunch at the summit of the trail road and enjoyed looking around a bit before heading down the mountain on the paved road to continue our exploration. Rain clouds poured down on us until we got back below the tree line. The second part of our trip included crossing the Continental Divide, seeing elk and moose, stopping at a pretty lake in the nearby town, and a small yet exhausting hike (on a paved trail) at altitude just off the road. We were wiped out by the end of our adventures!

Dan at the Continental Divide

Both of us at the Divide

The little lake we stopped at just outside the park in a nearby town

They had a perfectly placed post for me to put the camera on to take the picture!

The two huge moose we saw near the park sign...not more than 40 feet from us!

Gorgeous! We totally fell in love with RMNP.

The female moose we saw (much further away from us) in RMNP.

Looking back down at the river valley.

It was amazing to be above some of the clouds!

Well, hello Mr. Marmot. (Seen on our trail hike.)

The trail we hiked (notice you can't see the vehicles for the altitude change).

At another lookout (all I wanted to do was sit down at this point).

Those white specks are birds...flying below us!

The two elk we saw...they were a little camera shy.

Overall, it was an absolutely wonderful trip and one that has had us talking about when we can go back to Colorado. :) I am so glad I was able to see the mountains again and immensely thankful my husband fell just as much in love with them as I am!

Amazing steak dinner at Orlando's to celebrate our anniversary :)

Happy 3rd Anniversary, Love! Here's to many, many more!

Soli Deo Gloria,
Meghan

Love Does

I bought a new CD the other day and immediately listened to the whole thing...who wouldn't? But there was one song that stuck in my mind and made me think of one of my best friends.

Many of my blog readers know my friend Holly. Holly and I met one summer evening when we TP'd a mutual friend's car while home from college. :) Ah, college...

Anyway...Holly has been living overseas for two years. She is on the front lines in fulfilling Our Father's commission in southeast Asia. I was super-blessed that she came back to be my maid of honor at our wedding and also that I've been able to Skype with her a few times (timing, third-world internet, and Lord willing).

I know how much I love this girl. I know how much she is in my heart, thoughts, and prayers. I know how excited I am for her to return to the field this June after her hiatus and I know that she will do some amazing things for the Kingdom. But I also know there is a lot I don't know.

Because of where she is located and for security reasons, I don't know all the places she has traveled. There are stories I will never hear. I don't always know when I'll get to talk to her again. I'm not even sure I'll ever get to see her in person again this side of heaven.

I don't know all the souls that now know our Father because of her efforts. But I know the One who does know all these things.

So this song is for my friend, Holly, and those around the world just like her, those I know and those I don't. When it feels like no one knows or hears, Love does. This one goes out to the world changers...

This one goes out to the world changer
Shining your light in the face of danger
Oh, tell us what you know
You’re a saint, you’re a son, you’re a promise keeper
Bottom of the well, still digging down deeper
Oh, how far you gonna go

Chasing down hope
Moving on dreams
Taking that path
Maybe it’ll lead you home
Maybe it won’t

(Chorus)
Nobody knows why your heart is broken
Nobody cries while your prayers are going up
But Love does
Nobody walks on the road you’re paving
Nobody sees all the souls you’re saving
Oh, but Love does
Love does
Love does

This is for the one on the front line fighting
Ringing that bell over everybody
Oh, tell us what you know
Knocking down doors in the midnight alley
Looking for a life in a desert valley
Oh, how far you gonna go

Chasing down hope
Moving on dreams
Taking that path
Maybe it’ll lead you home
Maybe it don’t

You are a renegade
You’re an outlaw of Love’s crusade
And they don’t know who you are
They don’t know
They don’t know
But Love does
I’m telling you, Love does

Somebody knows
Somebody cries
Somebody feels
Love does
Somebody walks
Somebody sees
Somebody knows
Love does

Soli Deo Gloria,
Meghan

Nothing Like Girlfriends!

After my stint as a film star for TrueU, I got the chance to see some friends in Colorado before heading off to a girls' weekend with some of my best girlfriends. :)

I made the drive down to Colorado Springs to visit the staff at the Focus Leadership Institute. It was a great time of catching up with friends and getting to sit in on one of the new classes they've added since I attended.

Man, I love this view! :)

Then, a short flight to Dallas later, it was reunion time with my roommates from FLI! :D

We were excited to celebrate our friend, Alisha, surviving the Texas Bar Exam but it was also a good excuse to see each other all together for the first time in 1.5 years. The last time we'd been in the same place was for Danielle's wedding in California in July 2011.

One of the best things about having these ladies as such good friends is that we pick up pretty much where we left off last time. We stayed up until 2:30 in the morning our first night together chatting and catching up. It felt good to pick up right where we had left off. From fields of daffodils and homemade Texas brisket to fire alarms and late night "interruptions" it was an unforgettable time.

The weekend was refreshing for me on so many levels. It is always nice to have a weekend away and especially to reconnect with old friends. However, with the move, I've felt slightly burned out with making new friends. I know it's part of moving to a totally new location but it takes a lot of energy, especially for an introvert, and sometimes you just want to go "where everybody knows your name" (to borrow from Cheers).

And these girls?

Yep, they totally know my name...and my hangups...and my dreams. We've been through a lot together in the 5 years since we met. I'm so glad I get to call them friends and I can't wait until our next awesome-ness filled reunion! :) Love you, ladies!

Soli Deo Gloria,
Meghan

Movie Star

At the end of February, I had the amazing opportunity to be part of a video taping through Focus on the Family.

In our Focus Leadership Institute Alumni newsletter last December, we received an invitation to participate as students while Dr. Del Tackett taught the third set of lessons for TrueU.

For those who are familiar with the Truth Project, Dr. Tackett's name will be familiar. He taught that study of Christian worldview and society in a 12 lessons DVD-based curriculum intended for small group adult Bible studies. Now, a similar series has been developed for students in late high school and early college that centers on equipping students to embrace and defend their faith in college.

So far, two sets of lessons have been filmed and distributed. The first set addressed the question "Does God Exist?" and the second was "Is the Bible Reliable?" Now the third set will ask "Who is Jesus?" and will be available in October of this year. If interested, you can pre-order it here. (Though if you plan on using it for a Bible study, I would recommend doing Sets 1 and 2 first since they all build on each other.)

It was an absolutely amazing experience that left me feeling immensely blessed to have had the opportunity to participate. We had been previously told to bring around six different outfits for taping and I'm glad that some of mine were interchangeable and could be added to since we ended up doing about nine outfit changes, even if some were only minor (add accessories, change hairstyle, etc.).

It was refreshing and stimulating to sit as a student again under Dr. Tackett's teaching. I scribbled notes as quickly as I could while still keeping in mind all the instructions and cues we'd been given by the film crew. "Look Alive!" "Don't look at the cameras!" "Don't slouch or cross your arms!" Only half my brain could pay attention to the lesson since the other half was focused on not hitting my microphone (lapel mics that plugged into a wire on our chairs), staying alert, and not shivering too much (the room was cold!). The whole crew was great and the makeup/wardrobe ladies kept us looking good. I felt a little like a movie star! :)

I don't want to spoil too much of what the lessons are about but I will share two statements I highlighted in my notes that made an impression:

"We are offended by Jesus when he doesn't fit our image of what he should be." <<< We referred to this image as our "Jesus doll" throughout the study.

"We struggle with exclusivity [that Jesus is the Only Way] because we think too little of Jesus and too little of what he did." <<<Explaining why we tend to think we have to defend Jesus or give into a doctrine of "tolerance" which in fact demeans what he did and elevates ourselves in our own minds.

If you want more you'll have to watch the series when it comes out in October! :)

Believe it or not, this was only the first half of my trip that started in Colorado! :) Second half was a girls' weekend with my roommates from the Focus Leadership Institute in Dallas, TX...that deserves a post all to itself! :)

Soli Deo Gloria,
Meghan

P.S. This photo was taken and posted on the FLI Facebook page :) I'm in the front row in the bright pink shirt (also visible in the camera screen in the foreground). How cool is that!

Sneak

It snuck up on me, this move to Nebraska. One day, it's just a job interview, then an offer the next week. A month later it's a start date that's still over a month away. Then it's scheduling the movers/packers to come in two weeks.

But now?

Now, we drive away this evening.

It's been hard to say goodbye to those we know and love here. Many tears have been shed and hugs exchanged. I feel like we are leaving behind so much but I also know that God has opened this door to give us so much more. He's also been helping me to remember that I'm not leaving everything behind, I'm taking a part of it with me in my heart. I carry the love of friends and family with me, something I could never simply forget to pack.

So as we pull out this evening, know that I carry you with me, friends.  I carry the memories we've made, the fun we've shared, and the tears we've cried. I look forward to sharing our future adventures with you, whether that's in person or electronically. Please continue to share yours with me as well. :) I look forward to hearing how God continues to work in your life.

"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." ~Numbers 6:24-26

Soli Deo Gloria,
Meghan