Back from Oregon!

Sometimes one of the best parts of a great vacation is coming home.

Of course it helps when coming home means dumping my suitcase in the laundry room, pulling out my flip flops and sundresses, and basking in the EIGHTY TWO degrees that it is today!

For most of the day yesterday I had spontaneous smiles all over my face.  The warm breezy air that wrapped its soft summery arms around me only made me want to spend the day daydreaming instead of paying attention to my science professors.  I tried to concentrate, but then the breeze would blow and something from our week spent in Oregon would pass across my mind... a rainy coastal hike covered in moss and ferns... quietly reading with jason....the pounding Pacific ocean greeting us in a violent stormy welcome.... hugs from family and friends who took time out of their busy lives to welcome us and all around make us feel quite loved...olive oil ice cream with salt... beer... conversation....cups of coffee ...time with Jason... a quiet walk under my favorite cherry tree in my old neighborhood...the way I felt taking the Lord's Supper at our old church... thick clouds pulling aside their foggy veil to reveal Mt Hood...the faces of people I miss... conversations... daffodils and fragrant daphne...damp earth...rain...

  To my mom who kept and loved our children so this trip could happen.

Thank you.

To those who took time to listen, hug, laugh, eat, drink, and play with us.

Thank you.

We need you. We are thankful for you.

 And we can't wait to visit again!

Unfortunately we really didn't take many pictures to share.  Below are a few stray shots from Jason's phone for some concrete evidence that we really were there...enjoying, as Jason says, some topographic variance.

For now, my beach bag and chair are waiting.  There is an intoxicating smell of spring in the warm air around these parts.  I'm off to wiggle my toes in the sands of Lake Michigan, read, and maybe for just a couple hours pretend I'm still on vacation.