Sticks & Rocks: my trip to oregon...

As I mentioned in my last post, last weekend I headed to Oregon (with Asher) to visit my sister and her family! They have lived there for nearly a year and a half now, so I was thrilled to finally get to see their "new home"! I also wanted my sister's husband, Stephen, to meet Asher Stephen, since we named him after him!
It was a sweet reunion with them and I had a great time! Asher did amazing on the plane rides, both there and back, and was a trooper on a couple long days of outings and sight-seeing!
It was also a joy to see my two nieces and how much they have grown since I saw them at Christmas! Kaitlyn is quite a big girl now (in first grade) and reads like a pro! She was always sitting and trying to read to Asher every chance she got; it was very sweet, especially since Asher was not always the best audience! And Rebekah, age 4, is addicted to animals, especially dogs and horses. She is quite the expert on dog breeds and knows all the dogs in their apartment complex! Oh, and she definitely has "dog radar", as I came to call it....she could spot a dog before anyone else and at quite a distance too!

I arrived Thursday evening and then Friday was a day out! We went to the Tulip festival and then to Silver Falls (which I think is a state park). Both were breathtaking and spectacular! I love tulips so seeing fields full of them was amazing! And seeing a waterfall upclose and personal was a taste of God's handywork I had never beheld before...absolutely beautiful!
Then on Saturday we headed to downtown Portland to take in the "sights" at the Saturday market and see what local treasures we could find! It was quite an interesting place, to be sure, but all I kept thinking was how much the many dirty, unlovely, and obscure people we saw needed Jesus. He died for them and loves them. I certainly was tempted, at first glance, to judge them, but then the Lord helped me put on "gospel-colored" glasses and see them a little more like Jesus does.

The last two days we were there were quieter, but fun just to be together. We went to church on Sunday and then out to eat (which is a huge treat in my life these days!), and then just hung out at their apartment. Monday we ran to Trader Joe's (one of my favorite places that I miss since leaving MD) and then headed to the airport around 2.

Overall I had a fabulous time and am so thankful the Lord made it possible for me to go! Thank you, Stephen and Alicia for opening your home to me, sacraficing time (Stephen took all 4 days off!) and money to "entertain" me and especially for going out and buying that new air mattress! ;) No really, I had a great time and I love you guys a ton!

Enjoy the pics everyone!