April 10, 2018

Life Lately

April 10, 2018/ Meghan Oaks

Hey, it's me, Meghan. You know, the one who wrote most of the blog posts here consistently for a few years. I've been absolutely terrible at keeping up with this thing for the last, oh, 18 months. So what have we been up to in that time? A whole hell of a lot. Some travel, some home stuff, and a whole lot of normal life in between. The stuff that's not all that exciting to read about. But, I want to fill you guys in on what our life as re-pats has been like since we stepped off a Lufthansa A380 into the hot and humid air of Houston on July 31, 2016. I'll try to keep this short and sweet, but let's be real, it'll probably get long. Longer than I intend.

April 03, 2018

Introducing....Julie Grace

April 03, 2018/ Meghan Oaks

Holy wah it's been a while! We have some big news to share with you guys! Our second daughter, Julie Grace, was born on November 16, 2017 at 10:42 pm. It's been crazy around here with two, that's for sure! I'm finally emerging from the blur just a bit and wanted to share her birth story with you all. I apologize for it's length, but I don't just write these stories for you all, I write them for myself. I want to make sure I capture all the details.

June 07, 2017

Another New Adventure: Two Under Two

June 07, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

I know it's been quiet around here and for that, I apologize. We've been busy with work, business travel, a little bit of fun travel, and still settling in to our new home. I had forgotten how much work home ownership is! Spring is always busy for us, and this spring has been no exception. But, I'm here today to catch you all up on a new adventure we have decided to tackle: 2 under 2! That's right, we are expecting our second baby in November. Eek! We are excited, nervous, anxious, but also, happy!

May 16, 2017

Reflections on Portugal

May 16, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

It's been quite a while since we've gotten back from Portugal. I have to say, Portugal, for being such a small country, is packed full of charm and oozes authenticity from every corner. In short, I fell hard for Portugal. The food, the people, the wine, the port, the countryside, the food (oh wait, I already mentioned that) - all were out of this world! When I was planning this trip, I wanted to try to see as much of this little country as we could in the week we were there, certain that we would likely never go back. But after our time there, my mind has been changed, just like when I finally realized why so many people love Italy. I can say with almost certainty, we will probably be back there at some point. Perhaps on our next delegation, we will have the opportunity to go there for a week, rent a house in the country side, and just relax. Hey, I can dream!

March 14, 2017

A Costly Mistake

March 14, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

After as much travel as we have done, you'd think we'd have things nailed down. From getting to the airport well in advance so we don't miss a flight, to planning out all the important details for once we arrive, to packing efficiently, we have established a formula for travel that covers pretty much everything. Unless there is a huge communication error between you and the airline and you neglect to purchase a ticket for your infant when traveling internationally. Want to know how I know you need to actually purchase a ticket ahead of time and not at the airport? Because it happened to us on our most recent trip to Portugal. Here's the full scoop on something that unintentionally cost us a pretty penny, and almost made us miss our flight in the process.

March 13, 2017

7 Reasons Why You Should Travel With Your Baby

March 13, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

It's not a secret that whenever Aaron and I travel, we of course take Evelyn along with us. It's partly from necessity - we don't have family close by to watch her over night - but we also love to expose her to different countries, regions, cultures, languages and food, even though she might not remember it at her age. Nonetheless, we think travel, in whatever form you can do it, is important. It helps break down barriers, makes you more open-minded and sensitive to others situations, and exposes you to - literally - a whole world of experiences. When Evelyn was born, we vowed to continue traveling because we feel it is so important, and to always include her (and any subsequent children we may have) in our plans. Plus, we love traveling and want to pass that on to Evelyn, and any future kids we have! In case you're on the fence about packing up and jetting off somewhere with a baby, here are some reasons WHY you should totally do it!

March 09, 2017

Diving in the Adriatic Sea Off the Coast of Croatia

March 09, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

Last June, our final hurrah before leaving Germany was to a place that we had heard such good things about for so long: Croatia! We were going in the middle of July, which is like prime season for tourists unfortunately. Fortunately, we found cheap flights on Croatian Air to the island of Brac (pronounced Bratch), just off the coast of the mainland from Split. While we wanted to try to hit up Dubrovnik and Plitvice National park, we only had 5 days to spare, so we opted to stay on an island, soak up some of the Mediterranean sun, relaxing, and eating good food. And no island trip is complete without some diving!