month of loves: places

This one's for all you people who think about Washington or Oregon the way Texans think about Texas.

Sam and I took a long vacation after we graduated last April. We spent the first week in Ohio with my family and spent the second week with our dear friends Allison and Ben (and daughter, Adele) in Washington, and my brother David and his wife and son, Marcelle and Jonas, in Oregon. And, we loved it.

Neither of us had been to either state and we were excited to be able to go. Some of my favorite days were the ones we spent enjoying the great outdoors.

In Washington, we hiked up to Wallace Falls. It was a nice, easy hike with two or three (Sam and I can't remember) waterfalls on the way up. The day was perfect and sunny. The trees-- and everything else-- dripped with moss. The air was fresh and earthy. It was heavenly...marvelous ...soul-healing in the way that only being in unadulterated nature can be. It's the type of place I could go to every day and always leave feeling satisfied.




In Oregon, Sam and I wanted to head to the coast. We got there via a scenic drive through evergreen forests. Then we just drove along the coast, stopping at little beaches and coves whenever we wanted enjoying a delicious meal provided by Marcelle (including a homemade baguette-- mmmm!) Every time we'd round another bend, I just wanted to laugh. The beauty of it made me so happy! Just thinking about our trip has got me grinning.




So thank you again to Allison, Ben, Adele, Marcelle, Jonas, and Dave for giving up your homes and beds to us so we could enjoy your company and God's great creation.