Tell your Tale

Last September, during the beginning of fall, my husband and I went on a two day road trip to Portland, Oregon for our honeymoon. It was the longest and most tiring drive of my life, so much so that for days after coming home, all I could see was moving pavement when I closed my eyes. Like a movie replaying over and over again. Although the drive was long and exhausting, it was quite beautiful. We saw the gorgeous red rock formations of Utah, the never ending green farmlands of Idaho and the rain forests of Oregon. Most of the sights made the twenty four hour, two day drive worth every minute. We stayed in someone else's home via Airbnb in the hippy part of Portland. It was a nice little home we stayed in, it was like they turned their basement into an extra apartment complete with a bathroom, kitchen and two bedrooms. We also had a huge backyard we were able to relax in.

Fall was in full swing in Oregon unlike New Mexico where we had at least another two to three weeks before the leaves started turning. In Portland however all the leaves were shades of red, burnt orange, and bright yellow. We had a giant tree in the backyard, so tall you couldn't even see the top.. even if you wanted too. We even had a cute little calico kitty that the house owners had outdoors come a visit us everyday before we left to go about our city shinanigans. Her name was Willow and she always hung out with us too when were were out late at night for smoke breaks. Portland gets so much rain too that all the stone steps and sidewalks were lightly coated in moss and algae. Willow trees were a normal sight in peoples yards. The trees hung low as they usually do, and even lower, heavy with the constant nightly rain falls. The food was phenomenal!!! They didn't have green chile which is always disappointing but its expected... I only know of green chile being a regular ordered item in New Mexico and parts of Colorado and Texas. On our way to this amazing breakfast place called Gravy, we actually came across a news anchor talking to people about how they felt about the local business's donating to other local business due to the major fires burning throughout the state at the time. We told the guy how we felt about it and then proceeded to pig out on delicious food. We stayed in Portland for a total of ten days but a few of those days were spent at the ocean, at Cannon Beach to be exact.

I had never ever seen the ocean at this point. I'd seen more lakes and other bodies of water, more than I could count but never the ocean. My husband and I had decided to go on a hike just a few miles from the ocean, through some forested areas. We drove up, around one or two in the afternoon and the area we were in looked over the ocean in totality. It was amazing and it was decided pretty quickly that our forest hike was a no go. We left after maybe fifteen minutes of exploring. We headed down to the shoreline and parked in a public lot. With our shoes left in the trunk we headed for the water. The beach itself was so empty, maybe twenty people the entire time we were there. I remember walked up to the waters edge, leaving the hubby in the dust. It was so expansive, deep blue as far as I could see outward and to the left and to the right. The sound of the waves crashing against the sand and against nearby rock formations drowned out any other sound. It was like the sea was singing its own song just for me. The salty air was so heavy and refreshing compared to city air. The water was icy which was normal for the west coast in mid fall and the cold bit through my ankles and calves. I remember closing my eyes and breathing deeply and then I proceeded to cry. The scene in front of me and around me was so breathtaking and overwhelming to my emotions. I am a naturally spiritual and emotional person and I have always been drawn to water like a fish. So you can imagine how this felt... it felt like part of my soul was finally completed. Marrying my husband was one piece added to my soul and the ocean was a second piece. I don't think I could feel anymore completed other than having children. My husband literally had to tear me away for us to head back to the city. We stayed all afternoon, all the way until the sea's horizon swallowed the sun and the stars peeked out. I wish I could have seen the reflection of the moon, twinkling off the waves but sadly we had to go back to Portland.

My entire honeymoon was amazing but the ocean was the best part. It's my favorite memory, barely beating the birth of my nieces and nephews which come closely behind this memory.