Friends and Family

I had a wonderful visit in Oregon, and was able to see many friends and family members while there!

Here are a few photos taken during my time in the Great Northwest:















My dad had all four of his kids with him for Father's Day...it might be a long while before that will ever happen again!















My sister Anna and I took my nephew, Ben, to the mall, and he got to ride in the car stroller...it was so cute!















Without prompting, he even did the "typical guy thing" of driving with one hand on the wheel and the other resting on the "windowsill" -- it was funny!















We got to see our friends Nate and LaSarah and their two kids, and spent a whole afternoon with them! What fun! Here's LaSarah and me on Multnomah's campus...oh, the memories! (We all met while attending college here!)















I also got to visit my friend Galina and see her newest daughter, little Jenny. She's a month old. I was privileged to be present for the birth of Galina's first baby, Miriam, in 1999. Jenny is her 4th child -- where does the time go!

Remember, you can click on the pictures to see them larger!

God is so good to surround me with such great friends and relatives in my life...He knows just what we need!

I'm in lush, green Oregon!

I drove to Oregon yesterday, to visit my sister for a week...the drive was about exactly 11 hours, and I was listening to a 1960s radio dramatization of The Lord of the Rings trilogy (on CD) the whole way...as I pulled up in front of my sister's house, I was almost through the end of Return of the King! It made the drive go quickly for me, which I'm grateful for!

So I get to hang out with my nephew Ben for a while...he's walking now! That is a new thing since I saw him last. He'll be a year old on June 24th. He's quite the little cutie pie, as I think you'll agree:


I'm loving the new town my sister and her husband moved to a few months ago...it's a small town, and closer to the coast, so there are LOTS of trees...and the air smells fresh, like being at a camp! I'd love to smell that every day!

Anyway...I'm happy to be here...I really miss hanging out with my sister. I'm glad for times like this when we get the opportunity to be together!

Time flies, I guess...

It must be 2026 already...that's the only explanation I can think of for the letter I received in the mail today, which reads, in part:

Dear Sarah,

Our records show that you haven't yet registered for the benefits of AARP membership, even though you are fully eligible.

...As a member, you'll have the resources and information you need to get the most out of life over 50.

The letter went on to tout the benefits of belonging to the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons): Exclusive discounts. Dependable insurance programs and investment resources. Important health-related information. And so much more.

Hmmm...and I have a hard time convincing people I'm 30! I don't think it would go over so well if I flashed an AARP membership card for discounts when eating out or shopping!

Not that getting older is a bad thing...there's just no need to rush it!