i just want to unwind in my time machine

Oregon always feels like a million miles away.

But really it's only 15 hours.

I think that maybe it's because every place I go to in that state

has some memory connected to it,

and memories that old feel far away.

We have to dive really deep sometimes

to conjure them up.

Places like...

The curb by Dayspring Fellowship,

where I tied my shoes before

embarking on another brutal River Walk

(all in the name of wrapping paper, yo).

The church with the kite-shaped roof,

where I showed mom my Ton of Reading

gold medal for the first time.

Funny how things that seem so huge

when you're a 5th grader

just end up in your closet years later.

Anywhere near Archie Lane, where I grew up

with my best friend, Liz.

River Road Park, which is all remodeled and

modernized now, but "back in my day,"

it was completely made of wood.

I think I spent 75% of my summer days

in that park

or getting dunked under the water at the pool

by certain persons who will remain unnamed.

The River Road Chapel,

where mom taught us that first year of seminary.

Where we met early in the morning for

scripture mastery, amazing race games,

and donuts.

I tried to find all of the secret hiding places

in that building (there's a lot, btw).

As we pulled out of my grandparents' driveway for what

could be the last time {in Eugene},

I started thinking about

how much of me is in Eugene,

and vice-versa.

And that made me kinda sad, because

I don't think I'll be going back for

a long time.

This time, for the 15-hour drive back home,

a few old memories from growing up there

started to take shape

in my brain...

watching Rugrats while mom fixed my hair and I waited

for the bus to take me to kindergarten

the smell of Pert shampoo and Irish Spring Soap...

every time I smell it I think of

Grandma Neda's house.

retrieving the wiffle balls from the other

side of the fence

when Ikey hit them over.

I wonder why he never got them...

going to Christmas fairs with my mom

and sometimes Cheryl (lizzy's mom),

Once they caved and bought us

one of those ridikkilus

cinnamon rolls.

You know, the ones

as big as your head.

going to many soccer practices

but hardly ever playing in any games.

all of them were on sunday,

offf course.

Splash!

The wave pool with expensive tubes for rental...

of course, we knew that all you had to do

was wait until someone dropped theirs,

and it was game time, baby.

the old brown furniture in the front room

at 311 Mint.

I jumped on it, made fake commercials on it,

sneakily ate on it,

and yes, once I peed on it.

But I was sleepwalking, ahem.

the many trips to the Oregon Coast.

this time when we visited

I tried to take my time walking on the sand,

looking at starfish,

and breathing in that fishy smell.

the scrapes on my legs from the tide-pool-incident

are almost gone....

Camp Alpine--from the first time I visited

at age 8, to the last time at age 15,

I always said I'd rather go there

for summer vacation than

Disneyland.

Why?

Because at Disneyland, you can't

share a 2-man tent with 6 girls,

prank the 3rd year's latrines,

wear ridiculous beanies,

eat dutch oven deliciousness,

leave mail for your secret sister,

get lost on an unmarked trail,

swim with water snakes,

go on a solo hike at sunset,

or make up jingles all day long.

watching the following shows

which aren't on anymore

but they should be:

just don't forget to remember the olden days, mis amigos.

now go enjoy the present!

*mcfrenzy*