My Sanctuary

Every summer growing up was spent in a 36 hour car drive from my home town of Fort Worth, TX to my grandparent's house in Baker City, OR. The drive was horrible. Let's not even pretend. It was long and crowded. Who knew that picnic tables were multi-purpose and converted to beds? Who knew you could build a bed in the back of a minivan? Who knew you could pee on the side of the Rocky Mountains? Who knew...

But actually being in Baker (once we got there, alive) was always such a treat! It is a tiny little town in eastern Oregon, about 2 hours northwest of Boise. It is a town that doesn't get cell phone service. It is nestled in between mountain ranges, and is seriously a hidden oasis. It is heaven on earth. There are so many fond memories of Baker: building a dam in Cracker Creek (the water is mountain run off and beyond freezing!!), milkshakes in Sumpter, Wallowa Lake, the park (there is 1 park right in the middle of town that we spent many, many hours playing at while my grandparents took afternoon naps, or more like pretended to sleep so we would leave for a few hours and they could have their own peace and quiet!), the city library (which is right next to the park and housed the restroom we frequented while at the park), eating dinner outside on the carport, playing in the acre lot that is their backyard, having to put on pants and jackets when the sun went down...the list goes on. Baker has truly become my little heaven on earth, so far away and isolated from the cares of the world. I believe it is one of the crowning touches of God's creations--it is BEAUTIFUL!

I had not been to Baker since September of 2005. I was there at that time for my grandad's funeral. My grandma passed away in June of 2004, and without them there has not been as much of a reason to go back. My aunt and uncle now own the house they lived in, and it continues to be a place for family to go spend time and get away from everything. Kirsten, Brian, and I went there for Memorial Day weekend. Going back felt just like it always had. The spirit of the house and the love that poured out in it were just the same. It was so wonderful to be there! It was so reassuring to go back and feel so wonderful there. I had wondered if I ever really would be back now that my grandparents are gone, and was really sad at the real possibility of not ever returning. To go and have such an amazing experience has reassured me that Baker is always going to be a huge part of who I am--that it is always there to be my own personal sanctuary.

Here are pictures from our trip. We started out in Baker and then headed up the Oregon coast to a town called Cannon Beach. It is all so breathtaking!

Grandma & Grandad's House

View from the backyard at Grandma & Grandad's

Sumpter

Multnomah FallsSisters at Cannon BeachCannon Beach