The Meeks of the Midwest

In the past year, our journey took a 180 degree turn. Now we're living in the Midwest.

As you can imagine, that kind of about face doesn't happen out of the blue. A year or so ago, we had our Colorado home on the market because we had our eye on a neat little ranch on 40 acres nearby. The house wasn't much to write home about but the view was unparalleled. And it was close to town. But first we had to sell our house; in a rural market that is a completely different animal.

And then came the Great Recession.

To make a long story very short, missing out on that real estate opportunity turned out to be a blessing in disguise. After 17 years, our business was no longer able to support both of us. And, because the only job opportunities in a small town (if you don't have a teaching degree) tend to involve soda machines, it became sadly evident that it was time to move on.

Some adventures you choose and some are chosen for you. While moving to the wilds of the Rocky Mountains was a choice we made, our new adventure wasn't one we had in our plans. But you know what they say, "life happens while you're busy making plans." And so, after months of seeking a position that would keep us in Colorado, it turns out the best fit was in Champaign, Illinois, of all places. We have no ties to the Midwest, though my grandfather hailed from Independence, Missouri (went to school with Harry Truman!). We've never even visited other than layovers at O'Hare. And yet, we really like this place that would never have been on our radar if life didn't "happen".

So we've traded weekends in Denver for those in Chicago. Mountain camping trips for stays at a Lake Michigan cottage. 4H championships for club soccer. Nights around our fire ring, under a canopy of stars for afternoons at the ballet. Cowboy boots for patent leather. Trips to the feed store for trips to the mall. Trying to avoid wildlife on the road for finding the quickest way around traffic jams. World-class fly fishing for...well, we're still working that one out. But overall, it is good.

Making an unexpected move is an adjustment, no doubt. We miss our friends as we try to build new relationships. Live in a "cozy" rental home until we can sell our historic Colorado Carpenter Gothic. But we have each other. And as a friend, who moved quite a bit as a child, once told me, having to make these adjustments bonded her family in a way not many things could have. And we trust God to know better what we need than we could begin to imagine.

So here we are, celebrating our first Christmas as the Meeks of the Midwest. You can "follow" these Crisis Chronicles (there's a handy button on this page you can click) to hear about our life amidst the corn. And until next time, we wish you a blessed season and a year of enough.