Oregon Trails

It is Wednesday, hump day for some, a cloudy day for us here. I had planned on grilling dinner, but unfortunately the GRILL had other ideas. While there are other ways to connect the grill to a gas source, we haven't progressed that far in my house yet, so making sure the TANK is full is imperitive. Potato pouch was only half cooked but the meat hadn"t touched the heat yet. We love our grill, though. Eating meals is much healthier and we feel better physically.



Lately I have pondered some things about our life here. It has been difficult to express as many can imagine. Many midwesterners spend their entire lives not more than 50 miles or so from the home they grew up in. Most tend to feel at ease with staying put, and for many there is a justification for that sort of life. Me, on the other hand have moved back and forth across the U.S. a few times. My whole life has pretty much been spent moving at one time or another. As a young boy I was taken from my parents at the age of 7 and placed in a foster home, and from there on I think I moved once every two or three years. It is not really the life I chose to live, let me assure you. Living as a gypsy has its down side and sometimes thats not a very comforting thing.



Since 1999 my wife and I have lived in Iowa. Before that we lived here from 1988 to 1997. We weren't planning on living here. I typically call Oregon my home. It is where my wife and I are happiest and it is where we wish to live out our last years with each other. It is where my wife and I met each other, and it is really where our hearts are. Many times we have travelled to places on the Oregon Coast, and many times we have spent our weekends picking the freshest fruits in the various fruit farms around Oregon. It is where we have always felt at peace with one another.



Living in Iowa has made me realize many dreams. We were finally able to afford things like that new four wheel drive, my Harley, a house we can call ours. I managed to get a two year degree here while working a full time job. We have been very fortunate here in that many of the trials facing a lot of Americans such as layoffs reduced pay foreclosure are things we have avoided up to this point. We have managed to hold on to our blessings and work our daughters thru school. We have found a number of faithful friends who bless us with their love. It has not been easy, though, as many family members have long since passed away, and health issues are becoming a bigger struggle.



Thus the dilemma my wife and I are faced with is probably something many people go thru in their lives. This is not really a "grass is greener over there" situation. After all we have lived in Oregon. Something is still tugging at us, though, and this is the dilemma we are faced with. At some point we were planning to return to Oregon after the passing of my wife's mother, but things just didnt work that way, and now with age becoming a factor it is beginning to look like we may never return. A few days ago I was riding my Harley thru town, a sort of customary ride after a bad night at the bowling alley. It occurred to me during that ride that my wife and I would struggle with this idea.



As I ride in the coming weeks I will ponder this dilemma. Hopefully God, in whatever manner we wish to call him, will reveal his intentions for our future.





Regards,


Boomer