We Woosh in and out of Portland

Last weekend we made an extremely brief trip to Portland to bid adieu to one of my sisters who is moving overseas for a year. Lots of moments to remember.

• At the airport, we managed to figure out the escalator! We ran into trouble during our trip to MO last Christmas. Stairs have always been a big deal for Katya and stairs that moved proved to be just too much. And with 2 backpacks, a suitcase, a carseat and a babe in arms, it was too complicated to try to quickly teach her how to use the escalator. However, this time we figured out how to carry everything so that I could have a hand free to guide her while keeping my own balance as we stepped on and off and it worked great. By the end of the trip she was wanting to go up and down the escalator for fun.
• The copious flower display outside of New Seasons. After the snow-covered, bare bones of this part of Idaho, it was quite a welcome sight.
• A night of 8 1/2 hours sleep. Heaven.
  
• Dana's beautifully remodeled bathroom.
• Hanging out, hearing about the lives of mothers and babies in third world countries.
• After years away, the sights and sounds of Portland again. On a walk--blue jays, a small bird muttering; it is January, but things still have that growing all over each other look. In this part of the city the neighborhoods are full of big old houses sitting close together.
• On our walk I spied a bush of daphne in someone's yard, full of pink buds, ready to bloom. Dana snuck over to see if it had started to give off its wonderful scent. Too bad, nothing yet.
• We stopped in at a couple of little shops. What a treat to see such cute, pretty little things within walking distance of home.
• The feeling of my skin relaxing in the humid air.
  
• Both kids are completely tuckered out from travel and colds and sleep well for their naps. Brent and I slipped away to do a bit of birthday shopping at Polliwog, a cute toy store.
• A brief moment of old times--three sisters sitting around the table, reading and munching on an evening snack of cookies.
  
• Can't forget Dana's cooking--chocolate scones, french toast from scratch (and I mean from scratch), almond milk, peach tea with (was it orange?) honey, Butterfinger cookies, etc.
  
• One of the aunts soothed Tobiah back to sleep one evening! The other began the can-you-give-it-to-me-thank-you!-over-and-over game with him. This was a brand new development for him.
• Katya spending the night in Dana's room. When they wake up in the early hours they whisper together, pretending to make recipes.
• Goodbye. Hugs. Sad--so far away and long to be apart.