Beautiful Portland Sun

Portland's Willamette River and Hawthorne Bridge

While the Costa Rica contingent continues to enjoy life in the tropics and its adventure, I've been working away here in Portland.  The first week of my two weeks greeted me with cool, gray and wet weather but this lovely city has once again unleashed its seductive charm.  Yes, the sun is out!  I don't really care what anybody else says--it is tough to beat Portland, Oregon in the summertime.

Good times and good friends

Though my reason for being back in the States is to work and to keep up to speed, the biggest other benefit is having the opportunity to see close friends and to catch up.  For me, living abroad has not only been an adventure in itself, but it has also helped to clarify and amplify some of the best parts of  our lives when we lived in Oregon.  This has been a tremendous gift and I am thankful.  I've come to appreciate our good friends and my work family in a way that just wasn't possible before.  This is most likely due to having a major perspective change and not taking anyone for granted.  I'm sure that this sensation will be even stronger for Erica and the kids when we all come return to the States in about a month.

What fun!

Colors, shapes and angles of the Portland Art Museum

During the gray, cool, rainy wintery months, this city seems to endure the dark and bide its time.  When the sun finally shows itself, the warmth energizes the population and the enthusiasm and activity level around town booms.

Crazy van.  Crazy music.  Crazy man with dancing monkey puppet.  Somehow expected here.

For the last two weeks, working has been invigorating.  I'm not sure I've ever felt more patient and understanding.  I'm thankful for the generosity of friends, family and coworkers in helping to entertain, house and feed me on this work trip.  It is not difficult to be able to appreciate the good that life has brought our way, but my return to trip to Costa Rica cannot come soon enough.

Pioneer Courthouse Square