On to Oregon

On June 13th, the three of us flew up to Oregon, to begin the next chapter of our family’s tale.  Our time in Santa Monica was nothing short of glorious, and the much-maligned Los Angeles treated us marvelously for 9 years.  It’s a damn fine place to be young and in love, surrounded by friends, and always on the prowl for a good time.  But when it comes to raising a child, well… the picture above is more my speed, and I’m not going to find that in the LA River or Angeles Nat’l Forest.  So we decided to move home–to where we both grew up, where we met and fell in love, and where most of our families still reside– Corvallis, Oregon.

Eighteen hours after touching down, we were pitching camp alongside the Breitenbush River, where the above photo was taken, with 15 of our best friends, who welcomed us back home with open arms, roaring fires, and frosty beers.  Josef was passed from arms to arms and was introduced to the crystal waters, clear skies, and towering forests of his new home.  It felt so good to be back, and seeing him grinning in his aunt’s arms or splashing around on the riverbank, we knew without a doubt we had made the right choice.

So here’s to small town living.  To playing in the yard and riding bikes to the grocery store, to toobin’ in Mary’s River and picking blackberries, to impromptu visits from cousins and uncles and great-grandmas, and big family dinners on Sunday night.  It’s exciting to be back and it’s daunting to face the blank page that is this next chapter.  But at least we have the setting down, and right now it’s looking like we couldn’t have picked a better one.  It’s going to be a magical summer.  I am very happy for our little boy.

Photos of camping coming soon!  (Still unpacking…)