PDX :: Part 1

We are back from our much anticipated four-day weekend in Portland - it rained, it sunned, it clouded...  we wore our raincoats for the first time in months.  It was glorious!  Mid-trip it became very clear that this should be a yearly event - returning to see our friends and breathe in the clean Oregon air.  Our schedule was mostly booked from the second our plane touched down and it was delightful.

We stayed with our good friends - Christoph and Francina - along with their three kids {Naima is six, Nico is four, and JoJo is about to turn three.  And there is another one on the way VERY soon.}.  One morning we headed out to pick raspberries.  We picked one, ate one, picked one, ate one. Just how God intended.

Since we went raspberry picking on a Tuesday morning, Christoph was at work. I actually don't have a picture of him from this trip. But never fear, he looks almost exactly like this, only slightly less tan and of Polish decent:



That's Marc Anthony by the way, in case you were curious.

I did a blog ages ago when we went strawberry picking with these guys - almost a year ago actually.  Unfortunately it seems to have gone missing in my archives.  So I'll restate some fun facts about one of our favorite families:  Francina is from Zimbabwe.  Christoph is from Poland {or Germany.  I get really confused on the details here}.  They met salsa dancing at university in Indiana. They have moved around quite a bit as well {DC, southern California, Portland} so we have shared stories of starting over - although they really didn't like DC and Mark and I thought it was the Promised Land.  They have tremendous faith and speak so much truth into our lives.  They are this verse to us and we love them:

"Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding".  Jeremiah 3:15

We are blessed...  and hopefully we will be joining them on their next trip to Zimbabwe {which will be in about four years}.  But enough gushing about our friends.  More Portland to come...