The Dream: Manzanita, Oregon

(Manzanita, OR: 1/13/2010) For the last 5 years Ed and I have been dreaming of retiring from the Air Force, moving back to Oregon and settling in a little Ocean community called Manzanita. It's what kept us going somedays...the Oregon dream! After getting the truck unloaded in Newberg, Oregon and tying up some loose ends we took the opportunity to head to Manzanita for a couple of days R&R. You don't go to the beach in Oregon in January expecting to see beautiful sunsets and blue skies so we aren't disappointed with the wind and the rain. In fact, to me it's even more beautiful like this. I could stare at the ocean for hours always in awe of its power and beauty. We did get a couple of walks in and I even found a beautiful sand dollar to take to my granddaughter. But as we sit in our room here and drink in the Oregon beauty we have so missed, we don't know for sure that this is where we will end our journey or spend the remainder of our days. We want to hold that dream loosely to allow God to guide and direct without our having expectations or demands. We want to be where He wants us to be and doing what He wants us to do. We want to live our lives to glorify God. Will that be in Manzanita? I don't know. I saw some homes I wouldn't mind living in. We've met some friendly people here. So we leave Oregon on Friday. Head to Del Rio for a short time with CJ, Katie, Kylan, John, Erin and Emily. Then we fly back to Suffolk to get the RV and begin our second cross country journey. Only this time it will be slow and hopefully we will get to visit some of you and see some things we've never seen before ( Braves spring training!!!) I'm going to try to hold the Manzanita dream loosely and hold tightly to God and see what He has in store for us.