Gig Harbor, Washington 98335

When we first moved out west, our location was in Salem/McMinnville, Oregon. Sure it was nice to see new places, but it wasn't for me. I stuck out like a sore thumb. We recently relocated to Gig Harbor, Washington. Scott, my wonderful husband, works just north of where we live in a city called Port Orchard.  We both love the area of Gig Harbor, but for different reasons....

For me, I like living here because I can drive 5 minutes east to Harborview which is where there are quaint, little shops and wonderful food. Five minutes south, I can be at the movie theatre, the spa, or Panera Bread. Travel five minutes north, I'll be at Target! I'm in the middle of everything, yet surrounded by trees. The weather here is beautiful! Even though our summer only lasts 2-3 months, it doesn't get hotter than 80˚F. Locals say that it's humid here, but it's nothing compared to the summer days in Chattanooga, TN.

Scott loves Gig Harbor because of the Puget Sound. I hope I spelled that right. In simple terms, he loves the water! He's been wanting to get sea kayaks, already and we haven't been here that long. Plus, this location is about four hours closer to the world renowned ski resort-Whistler. He's been nagging me about getting a passport so we can go this winter. He's been to Olympic National Park (our neighbor to the west) a few times already to hike. That man just can't sit still very long. Our house that we are renting has a basketball hoop in the back yard. If I can't find him inside, he's usually outside shooting hoops.

We've eaten at a few places in town. Our favorite joint is called "Kelly's". They have, hands down, the best food around (so far). When I get a craving for biscuits and gravy, that's where I go. It's not as good as my aunt Gail's, but I'm not in the south anymore either. "Tide's Tavern" is another place we have eaten. It's an over 21 kind of place that serves real american food. Their clam chowder was amazing, but my sandwich wasn't too great. We tried an upscale place next to Tide's Tavern next. That place had good lobster bisque and bread, but it made me sick.... "Red Rooster" is another restaurant off of Harborview. We went for brunch, and every seat was filled. I ordered french toast, and Scott ordered oatmeal. Both were good, but took a long time to make. I will definitely go back and try the biscuit and gravy sometime to see if it competes with Kelly's.

The houses on Harborview are very old and quaint. Most have been updated and look spectacular. We love walking the sidewalk fantasizing about owning one. Maybe someday, we will but not in Gig Harbor. The price of houses here are twice as much than in Chattanooga. We plan on moving back to the south after Scott has put in his time here. There's nothing quite like home. 

Here are some fun facts about Gig Harbor...

During a heavy storm in 1840, Captain Charles Wilkes brought the Captain's gig (small boat) into the harbor for protection. Later, with the publication of Wilkes 1841 Map of the Oregon Territory, he named the sheltered bay Gig Harbor.-wikipedia

Commercial fishing, boat building, and logging dominated the economy until the construction of the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge in 1940. Unfortunately, the first bridge collapsed just months after it was completed. Another bridge was built in 1950 to replace it. The underwater remains of the highway deck of the old suspension bridge act as a large artificial reef, and these are listed on the National Register of Historic Places with reference number 92001068.-wikipedia

Fortunately, no human lives were lost....

Gig Harbor
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D 5.4 47 35 4.4 50 36 4.2 55 39 2.9 60 42 2 66 47 1.6 71 52 0.9 76 55 0.8 77 55 1.4 71 51 3.4 61 45 6.1 52 40 5.9 47 35 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches

SURPRISE!!

Let's talk babies...

I remember having this conversation with our buddies at Urban Stack over a bottle of wine at our last supper in Chattanooga. Both couples that we were with have a child who are one month apart. Both kids are so very different but extremely adorable, but Scott and I wanted to wait at least four years to have kids. We had very good reasons for this, which include: me going back to school for Dental Hygiene, we JUST got married, we wanted to wait until Scott's brother started having kids, and we just weren't ready financially. Our friends didn't think that would last long.

Well, the thing about life is, it will throw you a curve ball when you're not paying attention. I suppose God had other plans for us that didn't fit our timeline. We were married on February 20th, and on March 15th, I took a pregnancy test. Most people ask me why I took one and I really can't answer that question. Was I tired? Yes. Was I sick? No. Were my boobs tender? Yes. Was I weepy? Yes. Was I late? Not yet. So those are all the signs of my next menstrual cycle, right? Hmmmm.... I can't really put my finger on it, but somehow I KNEW that I was pregnant.

When I took the pregnancy test, I was more excited than I have ever been. I let it work for 5 minutes and then peeked. There was a faint line. What did a faint line mean? Did it mean that I wasn't pregnant or that I was? In movies and commercials (and that's all I had to go on), the line was bright and sure, but this line was barely there. Naturally, I did what I always do when I'm uncertain- I google it. I mean, seriously, I grew up in a world of technology. Any answer you want you can find on the internet. I had to do some research to learn that there are no false positives. A few days later I took one more just to be sure.

Scott was so excited that he wanted to tell everyone that day. I knew that things could still go wrong so I wanted to wait a while. My parents came to visit us and I was able to tell them in person. I wrote a note that said "Scotty and Jessi's egg will hatch on Nov. 22nd." and put it in a plastic easter egg. The other easter eggs had their favorite candy. My dad opened the egg and he was blown away. When my mom read it, she squealed. It was so exciting!

It took a few months for Scott's parents to get excited, though. Jonna had to let it sink in a while before she excepted the news. She wasn't ready to become a grandmother, yet. I can only imagine how hard it would be to watch your kids move thousands miles away and then find out about becoming a grandmother. My parents are grandparents already so that probably helped. Either way, I know they are beyond excited now.

So that's my surprise story. It was surprising to us, our family, and friends but we're so excited and thrilled to be given the chance to raise a child. Our parents raised us with love, showed us what it takes to be a follower of Christ, gave us support, and let us deal with the consequences of our mistakes. Because of this, Scott and I have grown to be the people we are, and I can only hope and pray that we have the strength to do the same for our children.

Old Wives' Tales

I have compiled a list of Old Wives' Tales about predicting the gender of the baby before it's born. I am very superstitious, so I took all of these to heart when I read them. Let's see how right it is, shall we?

Old Wives Tale #1:  Heart Rate

If the baby’s heart rate is above 140 bpm, it is said that the baby will be a girl.  If it is under 140 bpm, then it will be a boy.  

The first time we heard the baby's heart, it was beaten 138 bpm. One point for a boy.

Old Wives Tale #2:  Shape of Belly

If you are carrying high with a big, round belly, you are having a girl.  If you are carrying low with a smaller belly that sticks straight out, it’s a boy.  

If you were to see me from the back, you would never know that I'm pregnant. For a while, when you saw me from the front, you still wouldn't know. It's not until I turn to the side that you see this basketball under my skin. I believe this one goes to the boys.

Old Wives Tale #3:  Ring Test

Using a string, hang your wedding ring over your pregnant belly.  You are having a girl if the ring swings back and forth  and it’s a boy if it swings in a circle.   

It was a very small back and forth swing. Girls score one.

Old Wives Tale #4:  Shape of Mom’s Face

When your face gets fuller and rounder when pregnant, it means you’re going to have a girl.  If your face is long and narrow, it’s a boy.  

My face hasn't changed yet. It's still the same :) 

Old Wives Tale #5:  Mayan Tale

The Mayan tale adds the mothers age at conception and the year of conception.  If the result is a even number then mom is having a girl.  If the result is an odd number then a boy is on the way!  

2011 (year) + 24 (age of conception) = 2035 ODD # 

Old Wives Tale #6:  Acne

If you have acne while pregnant, it’s a girl.  It’s thought that acne during pregnancy is caused by the extra hormones.  

Definitely have more breakouts then usual. The joys of having a girl, I suppose.

Old Wives Tale #7:  Cravings

People believe that if you are craving salty foods while pregnant, you can count on having a boy.  If you crave sweets, fruit, and orange juice, you are having a little girl.  

I always crave sweet stuff, but when I was early in my pregnancy, I was craving french fries. Now, I crave chocolate…. This one is a tie for both.

Old Wives Tale #8:  Smell of Garlic

If a pregnant woman eats a clove of garlic and the smell does not come out of her pores, it’s a girl.  If the smell seeps out of her pores, it’s a boy.   

Depends on who you're asking. My dad can smell garlic from a mile away, but my husband doesn't mind. This one can go either way, I think. 

Old Wives Tale #9:  Skin under Left Eye

The eye test is when a “V” or “branches” appear when you pull down the skin under your left eye.  If you see a “V” or “branches” in the white part, you’re having a girl. 

I definitely have branches. One more for the girls.

Old Wives Tale #10:  Legs

If your legs get really big, you’re having a boy.  If your legs stay in shape and lean, it’s a girl.  

My legs are big anyway (thanks to Felts side of the family), but they are no bigger than normal.

Old Wives Tale #11:  Moodiness and a Little Pecker

If you are really moody, you are having a girl since you have another extra girl hormones in you.  Your pregnancy will make you smile and be more happy if you are having a boy because there’s a little penis inside you.  

Not sure how true this is, but it sure does make me laugh! Hehe!! I get an occasional moody spell, but I was expecting my mood swings to be way out of the ballpark. I'm giving this to the boys since I don't cry and scream at my husband everyday.

Old Wives Tale #12:  Bread

If you eat the ends of bread, it’s a boy.  If you eat the middle of the load, it’s a girl.   

I eat the whole thing!! 

Old Wives Tale #13:  Chinese Gender Chart

The Chinese Gender Chart claims to have an accuracy rate of over 90%.  It is based on how old the mother is at conception and the month that she conceived.  

According to the chart, I will be giving birth to a little boy (even if I'm 3 weeks early or 2 weeks late).

Old Wives Tale #14:  Dream of Sex of Baby

If you have dreams that you are having a boy, you will have a girl.  If you dream about having a girl, it will be a boy.  Dreams show the opposite of what you are having.  

I had numerous dreams of having a boy.

Old Wives Tale #15:  Clumsy vs. Graceful

If the pregnant woman is graceful throughout her pregnancy, she’s having a girl.  If she becomes clumsy, she’s having a boy.  

I'm always graceful ;)

Old Wives Tale #16:  Toddlers

If a toddler boy expresses interest in a pregnant woman, she is having a girl.  If he doesn’t show interest, she’s having a boy.  

Little boys love me right now.

Old Wives Tale #17:  Side You Most Rest On

If a pregnant woman prefers to lay on her left side, she’s having a boy.  If she prefers resting on her right side, she’s having a girl.  

Doctors say to rest on your left side while you're pregnant, but I always prefer my right side. 

Old Wives Tale #18:  Dad’s Weight Gain

If the dad-to-be gains weight while you are pregnant, it’s a girl.  If he doesn’t gain weight, you’re having a boy.  

Of course Scott thinks he's gaining weight, but he isn't. 

Old Wives Tale #19:  Breast Test

If a pregnant woman’s left breast is larger than the right breast, she’s having a girl.  If the right breast is larger, it’s a boy. 

This one is a little ridiculous. Everyone knows that whatever side you're more dominant is the side that'll be smaller (pregnant or not). It's only because of more muscle. Personally, I can't tell, though. 

Old Wives Tale #20:  Necklace Over Hand

Have someone hold a necklace over your hand.  If the necklace swings back and forth, it’s a boy.  If it moves in a circle, it’s a girl.  

We did this a long time ago with all the Felts women sitting around the table at Grandma's house. Mine said boy, girl, boy. I recently did this again, and it said girl and boy. This one is a tie.

Old Wives Tale #21:  What Do You Think?

71% of the time, the mom-to-be knows what she is having.

I was 90% boy, even though I was secretly hoping for a girl...

Old Wives Tale #22:  Morning Sickness

If you had a smooth pregnancy with no morning sickness, it’s a boy.  If you were sick or felt really nauseous during your pregnancy, count on a girl.  

I never threw up and was nauseous a handful of times. 

Old Wives Tale #23:  Areolae

If your areolae (the part around your nips) have darkened, it’s a boy.  

They have darkened a little bit, but not much. 

Old Wives Tale #24:  Protein

When a pregnant woman craves meat and cheese, count on a boy.  

Oh my… I was mostly a vegetarian before I started growing a little one inside me. This baby CRAVED big meaty hamburgers in the first few months. Now, not so much. Yet, when I started getting headaches, my midwife suggested protein supplements. 

Old Wives Tale #25:  Feet

Are your feet colder now that you are pregnant?  If so, you just might be having a boy.  If your feet have stayed the same before pregnancy and during, you’re having a little girl.  

Same as usual, and maybe a little warmer.

Old Wives Tale #26:  Hair on Legs

If the hair on your legs has been growing at record speeds, you might be having a boy.  

The hair on my legs are always racing against each other, it seems. This hasn't changed. I still get 5 o'clock shadow on my legs.

Old Wives Tale #27:  Hands are Dry

If your hands are constantly dry, it’s a boy.    

Nope, not dry… 

Old Wives Tale #28:  Urine

What color is your pee?  If it is bright yellow, you will have a little boy.  If your urine is a dull yellow, plan on a girl.  

It's definitely yellow! I'd say it's more dull than bright, though.

Old Wives Tale #29:  Nose

Do you feel like your nose is growing and getting wider?  If so, you might be having a boy.    

No bigger than usual.

Old Wives Tale #30:  Headaches

If you are having headaches, you might be carrying a boy.  

I had headaches on top of headaches from week 10-14. Although, I had protein in my urine which meant that I wasn't getting enough of the stuff. Protein powder in my milk and a little coca-cola a few hours later got rid of them. This one is a tie.

And the score….

Girl: 40% Boy: 40% Both: 20%

Ultrasound result: GIRL!

I love looking at old wives' tales even though they might not hold too much truth. I'm interested in how this summed up with everyone else!

My, how the scenery changes...

I have been to the coast of Oregon only one time before now. Back home, when one said they were going to the ocean, they would be crazy not to wear a tank top and shorts. Here in Oregon, you have to wear a few layers of warm clothes. Ten years ago, I wore a tank top and shorts in the middle of summer to the beach of Oregon and my, oh my, how it was cold. It is no wonder why that is all that I remember about it. This time, I was prepared. I wore jeans, waterproof hiking boots, a sweater, down feather vest, and a wind/water-proof jacket. Needless to say, I was warm.

So we headed out with Pluto, my dog, in my lap. We pointed the borrowed 1974 maroon Mercedes towards the coast and started driving. Along the way, we talked mostly of how blessed we are to have the chance to do this, while admiring the beautiful farmlands.

Along the way, we passed a few hundred geese. I could kick myself for not taking a picture, but at the time, I was so amazed that so many geese were all in one area like that. There must have been at least five hundred geese in an empty field by this large pond. It was unbelievable. Remember the swans in the movie The Notebook? It was exactly like that, except ten times more!!

Then we drive onto the indian reservation. There was a casino there and those people must have thought they were in Vegas or something. Everyone from that town and the two adjacent ones must have been there gambling. We will have to stop one day and see what all the commotion was about because that must be the place to go. I'm not a gambler. Though people watching is a hobby of mine, and I would love to see the ones in that place. 

The scenery started to change the closer we drove to the coast. It is the same as you drive from Chattanooga to Panama. Soon all the oak trees turn into palm trees. Here, in Oregon, the scenery goes from the occasional tall evergreens and deformed hazelnut trees to mossy trees. They are so tall and the moss covers them from the bottom of the trunk to the tip of the branch. Have you ever seen a shaved poodle? Remember how when the fur was gone, the animal underneath it was as skinny as can be? That is exactly what would happen if we took the moss off these trees. There would only be twigs underneath. Literally, the moss on the tree grows like the hair on a poodle--big and fluffy. I've never seen anything like this, and my picture doesn't capture the true ugly-beautifulness of it. Because that's what it is-- it's so ugly that it is beautiful.

After an hours drive, we come to the coast of Neskowin. Admittedly, we almost pass it because it's so enclosed by hills and mountains. The coast wasn't the same as it was ten years ago. That cold beach turned into this magic land. It was still chilly and the sun wasn't shining, but those facts didn't take away the sheer beauty. The signs along the trail warn of high waves and swift current.

The usual white sand from my memory from Florida, is replaced by this black-speckled, brown sand. There are large rocks and driftwood scattered along the ocean side instead of lounge chairs and towels. Pluto won't go near the water and when a wave crashes on the shore line, he tries his best to climb up the rocks to get away.


Now I appreciate this place so much more and cannot wait to go back. Scott and I were meeting up with friends later that evening for dinner so we only stayed at the coast for a half and hour. This is my second favorite place in Oregon (first being home with Scotty) and I was reluctant to leave.


We will be going back to the coast this coming weekend. Depot Bay is south of where we were but it will be equally as exciting because the whales will be migrating north and showing up at this bay. This time I plan on ordering a bowl clam chowder. I hear it's a specialty here in Oregon.

Treats

We received many wonderful gifts from our friends and family to get us going in our new home here on the outskirts of Salem, Oregon, aka wine country. One of the items that was given to us was a propane grill. I can't actually say that I will use it, but I know I can rely on my grill-master husband to cook up something delicious. 

My last grilling fiasco didn't go so well. I combined extra virgin olive oil and barbecue sauce and then slathered it on the chicken that was cooking on the grill. Needless to say, it brought forth the fires of hell. My brother, Josh, scolded me and I haven't set foot near, nor have I  placed a finger on a grill since. 

With all the past nightmares aside, I was so excited about helping Scott put together our new grill. He was stoked, I was stoked, and then after the third set of instructions I had to go inside because I could not decipher the codes on the manual. 

He finished it though, and a few nights later, we grilled our chicken sausages over the flame. When I say we, I really mean he… Yet, while that was cooking, I was in the safety of my wonderful home grilling onions and peppers for the dogs and whipping up my favorite dessert- Barefoot Contessa's brownie pudding. 

An our later, we are complaining about how full we are until I pull out the brownie pudding. And let me just say, it was even better than the last dozen times I had made it. It's a little piece of heaven that I will savor until it's all gone. Anyone who knows me knows that I live and breath sweet treats. My daddy says it's how I fill up my sugar bowl, aka dimple on my chin. 

If I do one good deed today, it would be to share this recipe. So here it is. Please try it. It's so easy and delicious that I can't think of any reason why you would not want to. If you can't eat eggs, use egg substitute. If you can't have gluten, try it with gluten free flour from King Arthur. See… like I said… enjoy. 

Barefoot Contessa's Brownie Pudding recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
• 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup good cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 by 12 by 2-inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, framboise, if using, and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding.

No Furniture, No Internet, No Problems...

The locals here thrive on coffee. The coffee shops here remind me of the churches back home in Tennessee: there is one on every corner. Churches are few and far between here though. Scott, being raised adventist, has seen only two churches. I was raised Church of God and I've only seen one of those. We have decided to meet in the middle and go to church on Saturday and Sunday.

The weather is overcast, yet again, but it doesn't take away from the beauty. Oh wait, I see a bit of sunshine peeping through the clouds…. and now it's gone again. If it's this pretty in winter, I can only imagine what spring and fall will bring. We have a lot of yard work and landscaping at this house to do, but it will be well worth our efforts in the end.

Every chance I get, I run errands during the day to see the landscape. Coming from the south, I held my opinion that we were country farmers, but  now I stand corrected. I've never seen so many farms in my life. There are so many different types of farms here, too. Dairy farms are few and far between, but I will see a rooster or a cow every once in a while. What populates these fields are rows and rows of trees! I'm not sure what type of fruit grows on these trees, though. When my dad comes here for a visit, he'll be able to tell me. There are also a ton of vineyards hosting different names and wines.

The houses aren't as kept up as the houses in Chattanooga, but it's hard to keep the mold off of everything because of the damp weather. In fact, I believe that's why the grass looks so green; moss and grass intermingle on the ground. 

Pluto, my dog, hates rain and thunderstorms so I was a little weary to bring him out here. I kept telling myself that he would get used to it. The first five days, he shook himself to sleep. He was a nervous wreck. When we moved into the house, I put a little blanket in the closet for him so he could hide. Tuesday, he stayed outside for about ten minutes at a time. Wednesday, I had to force him inside.

Pluto loves to bark and chase things. If I could train Pluto, he could win races and obstacles because he's so fast and agile. When he runs, he gets so low to the ground and runs so fast, he looks like a champion grey hound. Our yard here is fenced in but half of it stretches along the road. Every time a car races by on the road, he runs along beside it barking his head off. I'm sure the neighbors don't find it as amusing as I do, but I can't find it in my heart to scold him because this is what makes him happy. The neighbors will have to learn to deal with it.

Back in Tennessee, Pluto would chase and nip at the cows legs in our back yard, but here in Oregon, there is no wildlife to do that, so what does my dear old dog do? He runs with the wind and barks at the clouds. He's beginning to love this place, and I feel like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. After the third day of his non-stop shaking, I started to think that him being here wasn't worth my happiness because he wasn't happy. How could I possibly keep him in a place that he hated? I would be a cruel person to do that so I was making plans to send him back to Tennessee with my parents. He was so happy there. Now, I'm glad I didn't put my plans into motion because he's growing to love it here.

I believe I will love it more when we get our stuff here! Scott took a week off to get married so we didn't have enough time to take a honeymoon. Instead of a week long honey moon, we decided to wait until summer and go on weekend trips to see the north west. Originally, we were going to rent a truck to drive our stuff out here, but since we only had two days to get out here, we decided not to test our marriage that soon. Seriously, who wants to drive a U-Haul truck non-stop for 42 hours as newlyweds? Certainly, not me! We ended up flying and paying a trucking agency to drive our stuff.They quoted us a reasonable price and we signed a contract. They picked up our stuff last Friday and told us it was going to be here anywhere between the 2nd of March to the 5th. Now, they're running behind and won't be here until the 9th. We ordered a couch but it won't be here until the 20th. We are sleeping on an air mattress for now.

One of the perks of being out in the country is our privacy and back yard over looking the Willamette river. Being too far out for the internet to reach us is NOT a perk. I can do without cable TV. I went without it in Tennessee for over a year. But I cannot deal without internet! It's ridiculous that with all of our technology, it is limited to the cities.

I'm done complaining about the internet. I am very lucky to have the chance to move out here and have a roof (pronounce ruff here in Oregon) over my head and coffee in my belly. This is an adventure. In time, I will reflect back to these memories of sitting on the blow-up mattress with a down-feather blanket over my legs, hearing absolutely nothing but silence, and wishing I could have it back.

It's Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 but I probably won't be able to post this until this weekend. Until next time….

Gift Cards to Target

As some of you may know, my FAVORITE store is Target. I can get anything and everything there. So when Scott and I started registering, we of course, went to Target. A lot of our friends and family gave us gift cards instead of actual gifts which was nice since we went to Target and loaded up two full carts worth of stuff. THANK You everyone for that. We were able to get two bathrooms set up and our kitchen. Everything that we didn't get from our registry, we bought with the gift cards (except the kitchen-aid- I have to save up my spending money for that one).

Successful Landing

Mom and dad took us to the airport in Atlanta, Georgia Tuesday, February 22. With pluto in his crate, a HUGE suitcase which weighed 50 pounds, and two carry-ons, we made our way to the airport. It's bittersweet saying goodbye, and really, I don't like referring to it as a goodbye because I will see them again next month. So, anyway, Dad practically ran back to the car after hugging me because he didn't want to cry, and Mom gave me the longest hug I've ever had. When we checked in, the lady at the counter ALMOST didn't let Pluto on the plane. So, as we are arguing this issue, I realized I forgot my phone in the car. Could I possibly forget one more thing? I don't know where my mind has gone. Mom and Dad made their way back to the airport and I grabbed my phone.

By that time, Pluto received the okay to fly and Scott and I dropped him off at the special luggage counter. That's when I almost started crying. He was looking through the bars of the cage wondering why in the world I was leaving him there. It was so sad, but seven hours, three cookies, two coffees (one of which the flight attendant spilled on my lap), one liter of water, and two Pepto tablets later, we finally landed and I picked Pluto up. We left Atlanta in good, cool weather to land in Portland with very cold weather. We picked up Scott's truck and made the hour drive from Portland to McMinnville.

On the way to our temporary home in the motor home, he was schooling me with the local names. One cool fact about McMinnville, Oregon is that the guy who founded the city was from McMinnville, Tennessee! My lesson consisted of pronunciation the cities here.
Willamette: not pronounced "willuh-met" - it is "will-AM-et"
Lafayette: not pronounced "luh-fay-et" - it is "LAH-fay-et"
Locals call McMinnville "Mac"
And one thing I have to get used to is not using the "uh" sound in place of my vowels like we do in the south.
Other cities around Mac that remind us of back home are Dayton, Lafayette, Bethel and Albany (where Scott lived when we first met).

When we pulled up to the motorhome, there was a huge sign in the windshield saying "Welcome to Oregon Scott and Jessi" and "just married" painted on the windows beside it. We walked in to find all sorts of goodies such as home-made bread, granola bars, fruit, chocolate, and sparkling pear juice. There was also Marion-berry jam which is SO TASTY! It was so nice of Scott's aunt and uncle to do that for us. We are so blessed to have so many amazing people in our life.

So that concludes the trip out here...