Oregon!

The summary: A perfect, beautiful week. Our life is not the carefree, sunshiney experience that we had last year during our Oregon travels, but Hyrum decided this trip was still better. We still had sick moments, doctor phone calls, cries, and rain, but we had an incredible amount of perfect weather and perfect moments. We did the aquarium, the beach, tide pools, Octonauts, endless strawberries, and a Hillsboro Hops baseball game. (I am falling in love with minor league baseball, ya’ll. Great people, great atmosphere, and chili cheese TATER TOTS. Officially one of the foods I will eat in heaven.) I bought all the Costco frozen foods that I’ve always restrained myself from buying, and my parents did all the dishes. Heavenly. Two of my highlight moments:

Cape Kiwanda: It’s a small state park that bookended our beach. Huge driftwood, giant rock jutting out into the sea, and an incredibly large sand dune. Hyrum, being a true son of my indomitable husband, decided to climb the dune, therefore roping me into an adventure I never would have chosen for myself. WALKING in sand is exhausting, let alone doing it vertically... I had to stop periodically to rest, *question my life choices*, and look for something beautiful to pass the time. Tiny, bright wildflowers. Cloudy skies. Little footprints. I even SAW a perched bird singing. Somehow, I've never worn my glasses at the right moment to see it before. Apparently those tiny throat muscles actually move?! WOW...

I reached the top after they did, and together we admired the views. I definitely hadn't thought they would be worth it, but surprisingly... they were. Up at the top, there was stillness, space, and a healthy amount of "I feel small". The whole experience felt like such an apt metaphor for our life right now. An undesired and unexpected adventure, devastating climbs, the need for rest, the balm of small beauties, the power of perspective, and the propelling force of deep relationships. 

Flight 237: Make a Wish sent us with a "Pilot's Letter", to present on each of our 4 flights. It introduced Hyrum and invited them to make his flight special. Each time, Caleb and Hyrum got to sit in the cockpit of the plane, and each time, Hyrum's name was announced during the flight. Sometimes people clapped, sometimes the attendants made him a golden crown out of woven snack packs. One flight, however, was different. 

One of our second-flight stewardess gave us a Visa gift card she'd just received for her birthday - because even though she couldn't give Hyrum more birthdays, she could share part of hers. In the middle of the flight, another beautiful stewardess announced "I'm about to hand out napkins to everyone on the plane. I'll tell you later what to do with it." She had already spoken with us in depth about Hyrum and asked if she could share some of his story. She brought Hyrum and Michael to the front of the plane, then got back on the microphone, explaining Hyrum's diagnosis and the fun Wish Trip he was about to have. 

"His family needs us to lift them with all our love and hope and wishes right now. I want everyone to write a good word or a wish for Hyrum on that napkin, and I'll collect them and give them to his family." Next, she told Hyrum he would get to make a wish, Southwest Airlines style. All the passengers closed their windows, making the plane unexpectedly dark. They flipped on their seat lights, lighting up 100 "candles". On the count of 3, Hyrum blew out rows and rows of tiny lights. People applauded as Hyrum walked back to our seats, and Michael cried. I found myself singing the song "Fix You", by Coldplay. 

It was one of the most visually striking, perfectly pure human moments I've ever witnessed. One person, willing to help and asking others to do the same. A collection of absolute strangers, listening intently, loving freely, and acting in unison. Every single window. Every single light. Countless note-filled napkins. 

It is the kind of memory that I'll call on in months to come, as we keep climbing sandy slopes.