Hood River, Oregon, USA

July 7, 2009

Three states’ DMVs in a week. That has to be a record. But that’s how we started our morning in Hood River, OR. Dean needed to get his expired license updated so that we wouldn’t have any issues getting a license to drive in Japan. What a difference the Hood River DMV was from the ones in NY and San Diego! We walked in, went right up to the window and were greeted by Bob, the same person who had given Dean his driving test over a decade ago. The whole process took seventeen minutes, and probably fifteen of those minutes were shooting the breeze.

Finally, two whole days before we left the country, we had all our paperwork in order! We drove over to Larry’s (Dean’s brother’s) house bearing big Hershey bars for our nephews. We figured, kids like you when you bring anything their parents normally wouldn’t let them have. Larry and his wife just had their second baby six weeks ago, and I couldn’t wait to meet Mr. Jacob Alexander, or “Baby Jake” as his two-year-old big brother Isaiah calls him. Even though it was a Tuesday morning, the house was full of people who had arranged their schedules to see us, which was really very nice. Of course, I gave everyone their “hello”s, “you look great”s, and a administered a few hugs before making a beeline for that baby. Rachel is one of those very easy going, cool moms, so she let me hold teeny Baby Jake for hours, feeding him bottle after bottle. She generally tries not to feed him TOO much, and showed me why--his fat baby wrists were beginning to creep over onto the back of his hand. That didn’t bother me any. I just squealed with delight, because the only thing I like better than a baby is a fat baby.

We walked the kids down to a nearby park and let Isaiah run around and pushed him on a swing while the baby watched contently from his shady stroller. Then it was time to go up to Dean’s Mama Ricky’s house for lunch.

Dean’s known Mama Ricky for ages, and apparently gave her that name himself even though everyone else on the planet calls her “Katrina.” She has an incredible house on top of a mountain in Hood River with a big porch and stone patio overlooking the Columbia River. She and Robert grilled chicken and potatoes and we spent hours in the perfect 70-degree weather catching up, drinking a chewy red wine (as Katrina called it) and watching wind surfers on the river below. Hood River is so green and pretty. You know how the story “Jack and the Beanstalk” is set in Happy Valley? Well, Hood River looks a lot like that illustration in your fairy tale book. It was a perfect afternoon and I couldn’t decide which was the best: the view, the good eats, or the company. (I guess you’re supposed to end up choosing “company,” right?)

Dean’s dad was in town from Coos Bay, Oregon and said good-bye to Dean. He and his wife wished us the best, and then it was time to get to our dinner date with Eric and Mary in Sherwood--right outside of Portland. Busy day! Dean met them back when Eric was in the Corps the day after Eric and Mary got married. They came into his Marine Corps Administrator’s office in Hawaii to get their paperwork in order and became fast friends. Dean swears he became friends with them because they had a car. Eric and Mary thought and thought, but could not remember why they had become friends with Dean. Nevertheless, they’ve stayed in contact for years and have nicely accepted me into the fold. We see them every time we’re in town. We went to Gustav’s, a favorite of all of ours, mainly due to the awesome bier sausages and 500-calorie-per-bite cheese fondue. Every time we get together, I am regaled with a new hilarious story from their adventures in Hawaii, and the conversation ranges from hearing about their cute son to debating about politics and philosophy. Dean is very choosy about who he befriends, but I always tell him when he finally picks, he picks very well.

I had offered to sit with my nephews in the evening so Dean could go have a few drinks with all his brothers. Dean and I have been talking the talks about having kids one of these decades, so I figured not only would it be a great opportunity to spend some quality time with my nephews, but it would also be a great chance to “practice.” Well, some highlights. I never thought making a little 10-pound person burp would give me such a huge sense of accomplishment. I think two year olds have a greater lung capacity and more stamina than any opera singer. And I learned that Elmo is like crack to kids, and I am not above resorting to being their dealer. By the time mom and dad got home, though, I had two of them asleep and a big smile on my face. Rachel gave me a little bit of a reality check, however, when she told me now I knew what her evenings have been like for the last two years. I think both of the following statements can be true. Those kids are wonderful, and their mother is a saint.