This week we are back to the Embassy Suites. It’s like the movie Groundhog Day. I keep packing up the same clothes and unpacking them in the same room. Breakfast is always the same and the snacks during the manager’s reception are starting to get monotonous.

Maybe I’m just tired and the kids are getting restless.

But, we did drive for 13 hours yesterday and that was a long time to be together in the car.

Today, I was tempted to get everyone their own room. It’s been one of those days.

Something interesting is going on in our lobby though. And if you are a people watcher like I am, then this is your place to be.

Directly under our room is the “Presidential Suite” (which I have ALMOST talked my way into). A Hindu spiritual leader has rented this room and Hindus are coming to him for spiritual and medical healing.

Chairs have been set up outside of the room and people of all ages are lined up waiting for their prayer time. I have seen small babies with their parents, children in wheelchairs and greatly handicapped, old men and women being helped by their loved ones, and men in funny looking hats.

They sit patiently, sometimes for hours, to be called into the room. I don’t know what they do inside, but I am curious. As a Christian I want to go talk to them and show them a different kind of love. I want to get to know them and find out their story. I want to sit with them. But, I don’t know where to start.

I am praying for them, though. And wondering. What do we as Christians do to demonstrate such a faith that they have? Do we have the same hopeful prayer that they have? What are we doing to help these lost souls?

I guess this is where my thought is going…we don’t need to leave America and travel to another country to show God’s love. The people that do, That’s great! I’m glad! But I can’t leave. But I sure can show love to the people waiting for hope just below our hotel room.

I can talk to them. I can love them. I can ask about them. That’s what God wants from me right now. And while I’m in this state of New Jersey I will make it happen. I will smile with kindness to those around me that don’t look like me. I will hold the door open and let others go first. I won’t honk my horn when the person in front of me takes a milli-second to pull out. It’s what I do best. Being kind to others.

And maybe they will ask me what is different. And then I’ll know what to say. My God is the one true God. He is almighty because he saved me. And He can save you.

Because ultimately, that is what everyone is looking for.

Even the Hindus right under my room.

I will admit it. It’s not easy moving.

Going through drawers, cabinets, shelves, boxes (that are still packed from the last move three years ago).

Sorting and pitching.

That’s been my life for the last few days.

Thanks to my great friend, Amiee, for the fabulous tip to zip-lock everything in every drawer and saran wrap loose items. Makes it easier for the packers and easier for me on the other end. Three years ago my Mom spent two hours unwrapping an entire dish barrel box packed with only 10 candle votives. So, I’m being more concise this time and spending a little more time on this end. The movers will either love me or hate me. I don’t really care at this point.

All of our things are going into storage for three months. So we have a corner in our dining room that is the catch all for everything we may or may not need until then. We’re trying to pack light, but I know from experience how that goes.

So, back to my sorting and moving one pile to another and hope that Eli doesn’t start switching things around on me.

Do I really need all this stuff?

Our hotel has two rooms. A living room with a table, sofa, and chair. A tv and little kitchen. Then we have the bedroom. It has two beds in it.

The kids have been taking turns sleeping with Isaiah. Poor kid. Nobody wants to sleep with him. He kicks and squirms. Hogs the blanket. Snores. We have kept him on the sofa bed and Samuel and Sarah have alternated sleeping with him each night. Last night, Samuel took a stand and refused to sleep with Isaiah. He just couldn’t take it anymore.

So Gary, being the always humble parent offered to sleep with Isaiah on the sofa bed and give Samuel the roll-away bed, Sarah the double bed and me the other double.

This seemed like it would work. Everyone went to sleep just fine.

3:45 AM….Eli woke up screaming. I woke up and laid in my bed for a few seconds trying to figure out where I was and which bed I was in. When I thought I knew, I rolled out of the bed to get him and smacked right into the wall. I made the wrong choice. I crawled back across the bed and fell off the other side.

I picked myself up and stumbled over Samuel in the roll away bed to look for Eli’s crib. After finding him I gently tried to coax him back to sleep.

5:45 AM He’s still awake and crying. No one was sleeping at this point except Isaiah who was, of course, snuggled up to Gary with his knees in his kidneys.

Gary gave me the sofa bed and offered to try with Eli. After just a few minutes, he was fast asleep and so was everyone else.

It was a long night for this Nopad-Nomad family.

We’re hunkered down, waiting to see what Nemo brings. 

No worries.  I have the tank full of gas.  Cash in my pocket.  Bottled water bought. Peanut butter and bread stored.

I didn’t fill a tub with water because, frankly, we don’t have a tub.  We have a fancy schmancy shower with glass walls and mirrors that makes one totally uncomfortable with oneself while showering.

Okay.  Off the subject.

We are ready for NEMO!  It’s coming to the Jersey Shore, although I think we may miss the heavy snowfall. 

I always say that I could live the rest of my life and never see another snowflake.  But I think I would actually miss the anticipation and preparation of a big winter storm.

Hurricanes??  I can live without!  But snowstorms are kind of fun and romantic.

So, we’ll live in our nice little home on 4th street in Asbury Park and on Sunday we’ll shovel our way out and head back to the hotel. 

One more week of cold, then off to Florida!

Today the kids and I took a little road trip (19 miles) down the coast to Seaside Heights.

Seaside Heights is a very popular Jersey Shore destination with an awesome boardwalk and amusement park.  During Hurricane Sandy it became famous by having it’s roller coaster washed out into the sea.

We wanted to see it.

As we were travelling down the shore road we saw many roads roped off and police officers everywhere. There are signs that say “No Stopping” and “No trespassing”.  There is a 25 mph minimum speed limit, meaning that if you are a gawker, you could get a ticket.

As we got closer we were amazed at the destruction. Hundreds and hundreds of homes ripped off their foundation and laying on their sides.  It is amazing to see a 2 or 3 million dollar home lying on it’s  side with the contents spilling out.

There is construction going on everywhere you look.   Everywhere are signs warning against looters and police officers at every turn.

We were able to find an open road leading up to the ocean where we got a quick glimpse of the coaster.  But otherwise, we were not allowed to get any closer.

The boardwalk stores have been gutted and their contents piled high in the streets.

It is really an amazing and awe inspiring sight.

It reminded me that so much can change in an instance.  That we tend to put so much time and energy into our stuff.  But it can be gone in one storm.

Being a nomad/nopad is teaching me that I can do without ALOT!  I don’t need 10 pairs of jeans and 20 pairs of shoes.  I really can get along without a 4200 square foot house.  All we really need is each other and the rest is just gravy.

We are blessed to be experiencing this homeless adventure and learning so much.  Thank you Lord for this precious unique time and blessings to those still fighting the storm.

We were walking down the street yesterday. Battling the cold. Battling the wind. Listening to the kids whine and Eli cry. When all of a sudden Sarah yelled “There’s a dollar blowing down the street!”

Gary took after this “dollar” as it went blowing and tripping along the sidewalk then out into the street. They both chased it. Samuel, Eli and I followed along behind not too interested and trying to figure out how I would explain their death because they were chasing a dollar into the street.

Gary finally gave up when he saw the dollar fall into the storm drain. Oh well…

We caught up with them and I looked into the storm drain only to discover that it wasn’t a dollar, it was a 20 DOLLAR bill.

Renewed by this sudden discovery of wealth, Sarah and Gary determined that they had to get that money. They both laid on the sidewalk and tried to fit their hand into the drain. It wouldn’t fit. They decided to find a stick and spear the bill.

They both looked and looked until they found a stick with a sharp edge.

With a crowd looking on and cars slowing down to pass, Sarah and Gary worked until they retrieved the 20 dollars from the drain.

Just another day in the life of the Cline nomads.