#WhereAreTheUbryTerrells... Leg 13: Oregon

Because we were having so much fun hiking the Redwoods, we left California late on Saturday afternoon and rolled in to Portland, Oregon, around midnight. While there was much to see in between, we rushed to get to Portland so we could go to church with Randy's brother and sister-in-law the next morning. Roy and Suzanne were enjoying a neighborhood progressive dinner while waiting up for us, so we all mutually agreed to go to the late (11:30 a.m.) service the next morning.

I was so glad we were able to make it to church. Many of you know that I’ve been claiming a “word of the year” for the past 5 years. This year’s word is “fierce.” While I no longer dislike the word like I did in the beginning, I haven’t exactly owned it either. So I was thrilled when the band started playing a song I’d never heard of – one called “Fierce” – that was all about the fierce nature of God’s love for us. (Apparently I've been living under a rock – or in Mexico – because this song came out years ago!) It was a lightbulb moment for me. Rather than focusing on myself, and how I can be fierce, what if I instead focused on God, and how he is fierce. And as I gain understanding of his fierceness, I can figure out how to live that out in my own life.

In the midst of my revelation, and the guest pastor’s fabulous sermon that included a very descriptive discussion of cow manure, Van kept tapping me on the shoulder asking if he could go to the bathroom (there was a table of free Krispie Kreme donuts in the lobby that I think he was really after) or if he could go outside to play in the parking lot (where he could see the strobe lights and hear Lecrae blasting from the youth classrooms). It hadn’t dawned on me to inquire about a children’s program (which is a bummer, because this church has a HUGE kids program!). And just like my revelation that “fierce” may not be about me, I realized there was another person with us whose needs I needed to start thinking about.

Luckily there were 3 other adults with me to take the pressure off, and together I think we showed Van a pretty good time in Portland. There was a lot of food involved – Little Big Burger, food trucks, Voodoo Doughnuts. Randy made a home-cooked meal nearly every night, and after a life-long aversion to it, Van even discovered that he likes fish (as long as it doesn’t smell like fish and isn’t mushy like fish and he doesn’t know it is fish)! Roy made us homemade ice cream and Sue had a candy drawer that we all took part in. (They also have a wine cellar, so there was plenting of sampling going on!)

In addition to the culinary experience, we taught Van to ride the metro, took him to Powell’s and Chapters bookstores (where he informed us he prefers libraries), Roy treated us to the city fair where Van spun around in circles on the Gravitron until we thought he might vomit (while the rest of us laughed and ate deep-fried oreos), we toured a navy ship since it was Fleet Week, and so much more!

Our stay in Portland was our longest layover yet (10 days, including housesitting for Roy & Sue while they went to a wedding), but the least busy. We spent many a day simply relaxing, reading, watching movies, napping, playing games and putting together a puzzle, while Roy & Sue went to work each day. To be honest, I started to get bored. We've had so many adventures, it was like I'd forgotten how to be still. Which worries me about how I'll feel when we finally arrive in Ohio in another month or so.

To ease my boredom, we visited Silver Falls State Park, which was absolutely beautiful and bursting with waterfalls. We also drove out to MultnomahFalls, where unfortunately we couldn’t hike because of a wildfire they’d had the past fall, but we were able to view from the overlook. We also went to Mt. Hood and Timberline Lodge, where Stephen King’s “The Shining” was filmed. However, it was cold with a rain/snow mix, so it wasn’t quite the experience we’d hoped for. (Though I think the next time we see the movie and recognize the lodge we visited we'll be glad we went!)

But the highlight of Portland was really the people we got to spend time with. Every time I’m with Roy and Sue I feel right at home. There isn’t much else to say except they are family and I love them!

We also met up with my friend Howard, who I always love to talk writing and faith with while drinking a good cup of coffee. He’s the kind of person I can say, “I miss Jesus” to and he doesn’t judge, but totally gets it.

We grabbed lunch and donuts with one of Randy’s former employees who moved to Portland to go to college. Jordan was the first employee of Randy’s I met when I moved to California and I instantly loved her bubbly personality. It was a joy to see her and to hear how her life is unfolding.

While attending a Friends church the second weekend we spent in Portland, we bumped into my dear friends Craig and Julie who live in Wilmington, Ohio! Once we all got over the initial shock, we promised to make time for each other when we’re all back in the Midwest.

Finally, we visited the home of my high school friend Jim (he was “Jimmy” back then!) and his wife and 3 kids. Van instantly bonded with the kids and the volume produced by those 4 was astounding! Even though Jim and I are friends on social media, there was still so much we didn’t know about the past 20 years. We had a wonderful time talking about life’s adventures, all of the Divine connections that fell in to place for me to meet Randy and Jim to meet Mel, reminiscing about junior high and high school and how we’ve changed over the years. Our 20-year high school reunion is the end of July, and I really hope people will come. We may think we know all about each other because we see pictures on Facebook and Instagram, but it doesn’t compare to sitting around the dinner table or fire pit and listening to one another share about what life has really been like (even more beautiful and even more heartbreaking than most people realize).