Parents in Portland

This weekend my parents came up for their first ever visit to the Northwest! We had a good long weekend together and fit in as much as possible. They arrived in Portland Thursday afternoon and we hit the ground running. Thursday evening my home community group came over to my place and we had a nice picnic dinner in Creston Park which is right by my house. My HC group has been such a blessing to me since the week I moved here, so I'm glad that my parents got to meet some of these special friends.

Friday morning we grabbed breakfast at Stumptown Coffee and drove to Seattle where we spent most of the day at Pike's Place Market. We walked around and enjoyed the fresh flowers and produce, saw the famous fish market, ate lunch by the waterfront, visited the original Starbucks, and listened to some great local bands singing on the street. That evening we went to a Mariners game at Safeco Field where Seattle scored 4 runs in the 8th to win it (unfortunately we left at the bottom of the 7th). We had breakfast at B & O Espresso (one of cousin Claire's favorite local spots) on Saturday morning before we headed back to Portland. We arrived back in the city just in time to visit the Portland Farmer's Market where we bought fresh flowers, bread, cheese, and deliciously juicy strawberries. Then we walked through the Portland Saturday Market where my parents got an idea of what the "Keep Portland Weird" bumper stickers are talking about. I don't know if "enjoyed" is the right word, but we did hear a small band play some very interesting music. I think the word my parents used most to describe Portland is "different" - which it definitely is compared to Waco. Saturday evening we met up with my friend Carrie for appetizers at The Bagdad and dinner at Silk in the Pearl District. Afterward, we stopped in Powell's Bookstore where Dad found 2 of his books and personally autographed each copy - I'm sure they sold pretty quick after that.

Sunday morning we went to church at Imago Dei (another "different" kind of worship experience) where my parents got to meet some more of my home community friends. After lunch at the Detour on Hawthorne, we drove out to Multnomah Falls for a beautiful, scenic hike to the top of the 2nd tallest continuously running waterfall in America. Sunday evening we had a wonderful family dinner at the Moore's house. My parents loved being able to visit with them and express gratitude for the kindness they have shown me here in Portland.

Monday was another full day around the city starting with a 10-mile bike ride along the waterfront. Way to go, Mom and Dad - soon you'll be ready for a triathlon! Since we got such a great work out in, we treated ourselves to Pine State Biscuit fried chicken sandwiches, a real finger-licking treat! Then I was able to show my parents where I work at the Murdock Trust in Vancouver, Washington. It was great for my parents to finally meet all of my wonderful coworkers and put faces with names. We ended the evening with dinner at the Portland City Grill which is located on the 30th floor of the tallest building in the city - the view was incredible! Then we made our way to NW 23rd Street where we indulged in the most delicious desserts (after all, calories don't count when you're on vacation, right?).

This morning we had a quick breakfast at Pine State Biscuits (yeah, we're becoming regulars) with my friend Drew before I dropped my parents off at the airport. I loved being able to show my family around my new town! And this was the first time I had seen them since I moved up here at the end of January nearly 5 months ago - the longest amount of time they have ever gone without seeing one of their children. Yes, I am becoming a professional Portland tour guide, so come on up... I can promise you a good time!