Family Time

One of the downsides of living in Oregon -- and there aren't many -- is that we are a great distance from family. Amy and I both have family in different places which aren't geographically closely connected. Her parents live just south of Grand Rapids, Michigan; her sister & family lives in the greater Grand Rapids area, and her brother and his family live in Virginia. My parents live in Edmonton, along with one of my brothers; another brother lives in Lacombe, Alberta, while a third lives near Ames, Iowa. The point in all of this is that it is impossible to live near all of them. And, as it turns out, in Oregon we don't live near many of them. Truth be told, that's not always easy. We miss out on spending time together. Grandparents, Uncles, Aunts, and cousins see our family only a couple of times a year. So, it's been a treat this Sabbatical to have extra time with extended family. My mom visited the first week, and the kids enjoyed a great visit with her, keeping up some of the traditions that they've created over the years.

This weekend allowed us a wonderful time catching up with Amy's sister, and her family. Friday we hiked to the highest point in Oregon's coastal range, Mary's Peak. Dinner followed at a pizza place in Corvallis that came recommended to us by a friend. Saturday meant a trip to the Salem Saturday Market (where authentic Oregon culture is on display!), to our local swimming pool, and out to World Beat, a multi-cultural exhibit near downtown. Sunday was church together at our "adopted" congregation, an urban Presbyterian congregation here in town. The afternoon brought a few of us out to Silver Falls State Park for a three-mile hike, and then a leisurely BBQ on the patio. Some of the other highlights included the girls sleeping in hammocks in the backyard (until the automatic sprinklers gave them an unwanted wake-up call!), making friendship bracelets out of rubber bands, homemade ice cream, and the uncontrollable laughter of the cousins as they played Mario Party on the wii-U. It was so great to have you with us, Carlson family! Thanks for including us in your vacation.


In a week or so, I'll have the chance to visit my hometown -- I've been invited to preach in Edmonton in early July -- and I'll spend some time reconnecting with my side of the family. Family visits tend to be fewer and further between, but perhaps that is one reason why the memories are all the more precious.







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