From Washington With Love

This post is specifically for all of my friends elsewhere in the country, who do not have the pleasure of currently being in the Evergreen State.

Imagine yourself flying on a Boeing 737, on a beautiful sunny and blue sky type of day.  The clouds are few and far between, and mainly just in one spot to the south.  They are gathering around the mid-level of a majestic peak.  This peak, overlooking the clouds is seemingly trying to get up on its tippy toes to see someone or something in the distance.  It wants to get a first glimpse of the return of its friends. 

This is how it felt to fly in to the Puget Sound area on Wednesday afternoon.  Over Eastern Washington, the skies could not have been clearer.  The Columbia beamed in all its radiance.  Lake Chelan shimmered to the north.  And there, on our side of the plane to the south, was our friend, Mt. Rainier.  The smile on my face could not have been bigger.  It's always my favorite part of flying in or out of SeaTac.  The ability or hope to see the beautiful summit that graces our little piece of heaven.  Allison was ecstatic!  We got to circle around and land out of the south, so we also got to see PLU and Tacoma from the air, as well as much of the South Sound and across to the Kitsap Peninsula and the Olympics.  I always enjoyed this when flying home especially a year+ ago from Claremont, but this time was more special.  This was the first flight Allison and I had shared completely alone together.  And it was so wonderful to feel like we were coming home, without worrying that we would have no time to breathe like we did the week around Christmas.

We have been back a few days already, and feel so blessed to be here.  We have had the chance to spend a day at the place where our relationship all started and grew, at PLU.  We have had the pleasure of hearing my brother's global studies capstone presentation.  We have gotten to spend time with my sister, and hear a little about her semester in Namibia.  And so much more.  This trip home has only just begun, but its all ready been worth it and SO MUCH MORE. 

To all of you not as fortunate to be in the Northwest, know and trust that Mt. Rainier says hi to you too, and it will be here along with all the Cascades to greet you when you come or come back.