A New Time and Place

Moving Sales. Two down. One more to go.

 

This past weekend we sorted through boxes and sticker-ed unnecessary belongings with little colored dots. $2. $1. 25 cents. As we haggled with strangers and neighbors over prices of no longer listened to CD's and unused toys, I was flooded with my reality. We are moving. Soon.

 

Many people in our lives have been on this almost 1 1/2 year journey with The Quillins. As I rewind the tape, I cannot believe how quickly it has passed though it has felt like some of the longest months of  my life.

 

To catch everyone up to speed, beginning in the fall of 2010 at the height of the economic bust of Las Vegas, my husband Matt began heading out of town to begin setting up business in the oh so popular travel destination of North Dakota. The company he has worked for for almost 20 years had been feeling the construction decline in Las Vegas for a couple of years now and they knew that if they didn't seek out new opportunities to re-invent themselves, they would experience the same fate of many small businesses of the late 2000's.

 

I was busy raising our three elementary school aged kids at that time, recently resigned as an event rep for a Christian conference organization. It was a very busy time and Matt's travels were short and not that life altering. I was thankful at that time that SOMETHING was beginning to happen for his work.

 

In the next several months, the trips got more involved. Longer. More frequent. In the late spring of 2011, Matt had to go for 5 weeks  to complete the construction of the "shop" as they called it. It was a huge building and Matt was primary in making it happen. In the year, they had partnered with and then bought out an oil servicing company to assist the numerous oil drilling/pumping businesses that had invaded North Dakota. A new boom was happening and it was quickly apparent that we were going to be a part of it.

 

When Matt returned, we vacationed for 3 weeks for my family's family reunion and to celebrate my parents 50th anniversary. It was an unknowing blessing and filling for me as I didn't truly realize how quickly life was about to change. We returned and the next day packed up the camper and piled into the truck and took a week long road trip to ND for him to get back to work and us to get our first glimpse of ND. Traveling through Utah, Yellowstone and Wyoming towards North Dakota is unknowingly deceiving. The gorgeous landscapes of America's mountain ranges was idyllic and gave me a patriotic pride of the land we live in.

 

As we got closer and closer to Matt's company in North Dakota, the landscape changes. It's flatter and wheat colored. Two lane roads replace the interstate. People and communities are much more spread a part. I began a wondering if I could truly see ourselves here. This wondering would continue for many many months.

 

We stopped at a nearby truck stop for some food and my kids thought it was another Disneyland. I'm amazed at the perspective and observations of children. I, on the other hand, was beginning my freak out experience. I looked around at everything and everyone and saw nothing of the familiar. Nothing felt comfortable or alluring or appealing. As Matt and the kids enjoyed their truck stop pizza like it was filet mignon, I went to the car holding back the tears just long enough to get inside.

"I can't do this", I cried to no one.... to myself... to God.

We continued on to where Matt worked and again, was struck by how different life was here. I knew I was being asked to consider something that maybe for the first time I truly didn't know if I could do.

We spent the week at the lake in a campground. The kids were in heaven. Grass and mud and lightning bugs filled their hours. No one was missing TV, DS's, or Wii. We cooked outside and endured a thunderstorm. Campfires at night filled our evenings that were so quiet. Dinners were late as the sun doesn't set in that part of the country until well past 10 p.m.. As the kids continued to play at the camp playground with other instant friends made by campsites around us, I welcomed the peaceful way of life. My parents joined us for that week and it was truly fun.

At the end of the week, Matt would move into the camper by work and I would travel home with the kids and life had changed. As I boarded the plane with the kids and said goodbye to Matt, life had turned. North Dakota was going to be a big part of our lives for a while. I came home and something felt so strange. Matt was not there. We didn't want to do this for long. I began my 1 1/2 years of semi-single parenting and began to get the house ready to sell.

Fast forward to today. House is sold at a economy-tragic low price. But sold. My parents whom we have lived with for over 9 years are looking for a place in Vegas to stay close to my sister. And we are packing. Getting ready to leave in the next few weeks. I cannot even begin to express the missing that will happen. I think we are in denial. :-)

There is much more to the story which I will unpack in the next coming months, probably more for my benefit than any others :-)

But here in the end is the truth that I have been seared with. Changed by. Grateful for.

Our God is a faithful God.

I have been SO unfaithful to Him, myself, to my family and friends. I have fallen so short and yet He has never let go. There have been many times of wondering if He is still holding us and He has never failed.

This move is not my dream move. There is not a dream job waiting for me or proximity to family and friends which I would love. This move is a trust move as we go without knowing, confident of His provision and presence.

We are going to be together as a family. We are deeply grateful for His provision in these tough times and do not take that lightly. We go to embrace adventure and new callings. We go to honor our faithful God.

I would love for anyone reading this to follow the new Quillin adventure. Much more to share.
All to recognize and honor our faithful God.