hello friends! we are currently enjoying the lovely, rainy, gray, and pedestrian-friendly city of portland, oregon. we cant wait to explore Bridgetown! voodoo doughnuts is first on our list (i saw this doughnut place on the food network over a year ago and my curiosity was piqued.they have super unique toppings, bacon and maple syrup, yumm......), followed by the nations largest used bookstore: powells.
a lot has happened since we left oklahoma. i will focus on the highlights, splashed with a few lowlights.

after being in mustang, oklahoma for over 3 weeks and spending some quality time with the fam while learning to play texas hold 'em (in which i dominate), we packed up and headed out. we hitchhiked most of the way to amarillo, and after struggling to find a train, finally found one going west. but we didnt calculate the fact that to get west we would have to pass through the desert and hence, were not water/food-prepared. we were on that train for over 30 hours with less than 2 cups of water, no map, and dead cell phones. and when i say desert, a mean 'heat-wave-suck-you-dry-blazing-days/freezing-nights-not-a-soul-in-sight' desert. noticing our way too light water bag, we decided to get off at the nearest town to fill up, but every time we went through a town the train wouldnt slow down.

so the last few hours on that train were grueling an terrifying and filled with frantic pleas to the Heavens to quench our thirst. it is hard to explain the horrific need i felt to drink water, i could think of nothing else, my mind was fixated. i didn't just feel a little thirsty, my whole body was desperate and aching to swallow a drop and water. we started to feel a little dizzy, then we couldnt stand very well, then we started to hallucinate a little. we finally, FINALLY stopped outside of barstow, california and got off beside a golf course. we took advantage of the courtesy water and helped ourselevs to that refreshing, icy liquid. after ravaging the water canteen and being filled to near sickness, we shakily headed into town to eat and recoup.

after that little experience, everything has been great. we cought a ride from gus and louis, a father son team, to los angeles. he told us a story in the car about how the day before they had had major car trouble and were held up for an extra day on their trip. he says he knew the 'big man upstairs' was looking out for us and wanted us to meet. so he took that as a sign to pamper us for the rest of the day. gus turned out to be a wealthy beef jerky salesman who owned a few jerky stores, a few homes and cars, and a jerky making factory. he took us to his factory, out to lunch, for a tour of l.a., out to coffee in hollywood, for dinner, and finished off with getting us a hotel room for the night. we were so blessed to have met him. that day was so jolly. christian and i kept looking at each other and would just burst out laughing and shake our heads. ps. he continues to check upon us via text every few days to make sure we are ok and to see if we need anything.

our first day in los angeles was spent walking around in awe in that colorful, multi-cultural city. it felt like being in a different country. their were whole groups of blocks where no public signs or stores were in english. it seemed as if every type of culture had packed together and formed their little sections of the neighborhood.

we started to look for a grocery store near dinner time and asked an older lady on the street for directions. she guided us to a 99 cent store where she was headed. we thanked her but kept walking past the store thinking they wouldnt have anything organic or vegan. but after passing it, christian suggested we might as well go back and take a look. while we were in the checkout, sister nikki came up to us and said God had stopped her in the parking lot and told her to offer us a place to sleep that night. she asked us to stay the week and go to church with her sunday. so the whole time we were in l.a. we had a nice bed to sleep in and a shower to use. she and her housemaid were so sweet to us the entire week.

we left from there monday and headed up to san fransisco to meet some friends. not the charming place we thought it would be, we left their two days later for portland. we hitch hiked and camped along the coast whole way up here.

portland is a pretty nice place so far. the only negative i would have to say is the lask of sunshine. it has been overcast and rainy since we got here.

weird little event: christian and i were walking around downtown saturday night when i suddenly saw a flash of skin and parts. then another, then another, then a TON of nude cyclist rode by. so for about 15 minutes ( no exaggeration) we were swarmed with naked. we found out later it is gay pride weekend and that is one of the events. definitely wasnt expecting that.

it has been a slow and wonderful trip. we have gotten to stay in many quaint towns along the way. God keeps providing for us and putting the perfect people in our paths. we have gotten to enjoy the majestic beauty of the redwoods, the pacific ocean, and the mountains and valleys of california and oregon. sometimes its as if we are walking through a postcard. it is an awesoma place to meditate and dwell on Him.

our living situation feels strangely normal and comfortable in its own way. i thought i would have a hard time with not having a technical 'home', but i dont feel like anything is missing. i actually feel like i am living better now, more on purpose, with a higher goal. i love being on the road. i appreciate little things more and more. Like getting to sleep on dirt or grass instead of cement, or eating a fresh peach, or putting on freshly cleaned clothes. those things are so luxurious to me now. living conveniently is no longer so easily available and we are so much more appreciative of little things.

we plan to stay on this side of the country until after independence day, then we head back to the east coast for my sister's wedding july 31st.