Going Home

We have spent the last week+ in Washington state visiting family. The trip has been the normal chaotic mix of personalities, fun & a few tears. Last week we drove to Hood River, OR to visit my grandma. Hood River is my home town and it is beautiful. This website has the best pics I have seen to show you a little bit of my home. I have been to every place pictured except Latourell Falls. We drove to our family farm, and then on to my mom's grave at the base of Mt. Hood and got pictures of the grandkids playing in the sprinklers & sunshine - she would have loved that. We drove on to my grandparents orchard & fruitstand. It is now a beautiful winery. What is very interesting is how little everything has changed. There are some changes, a few more traffic lights, a different store here & there, but I was amazed at how much it is exactly the same. With all the change in my life right now, it was a sweet gift to go "home" just as I remembered it. It felt peaceful, comforting, & secure.


The next day we headed to Ft. Clatsop on the Oregon Coast. We had a great time touring the fort, learning about the Lewis & Clark expedition & walking the trails. That evening we camped at Cape Disappointment Campground which is on the southern most tip of the Washington State Coast. It was beautiful! Gorgeous weather, friendly racoons, warm ocean water with no wind, tons of s'mores. We had a wonderful time with all the cousins. We climbed mountains, swam in the ocean, toured another Lewis & Clark interpretive center and explored the view from the lighthouse. I took some time and sat on the beach by myself and just soaked up the peace that only an ocean sunset can bring. Later that evening, my sister Tracy & I sat on the beach by ourselves, wrapped in blankets & stared at a million stars at midnight. My peaceful bucket is full.


I love that I have grown up in the Hood River Valley - not only did I have an amazing childhood here, but I have such a beautiful place to come home too. Seeing all the orchards, mountains, forests, oceans, stars & waterfalls has been a much needed breath of fresh air. It has felt cleansing, refreshing, strengthening, and peaceful. For those of you dear friends in the Northwest that we are not getting to see (Russons & Miletas) - we love you dearly and hope to get to Salem next visit.