A Birds Eye View

I recently took a trip out to Oregon to visit my family. I worked all summer chasing toddlers just to buy a round trip ticket for one week. I love to travel, but flying is not exactly my favorite thing. You have to deal with TSA, the hustle and bustle of getting to your gate on time, dealing with the possibility of your luggage being lost, sitting in seats that are too small and often times sitting by people you rather not...oh, and two words: crying babies. You also get this weird feeling that you had either gained or lost hours in a day and that only a few hours prior, you were half way across the country.

I got lucky this time. I either had a seat or a whole row to myself and I didn't have to worry about my luggage being lost because I just brought a carry on and there were well behaved adults and children on my flights.

I don't fly a lot, but when I do, I like the window seat. My husband thinks the aisle seats are better, but I disagree. When I fly, I like to look out the window and marvel over God's creation..Earth. Seeing Earth from a plane in my opinion is one of the most amazing things you can see. Think about it. Everyday, most people get into a car, truck or bike and see the land at feet level. People often don't stop and look at the beauty that is around them and appreciate what has been created.

When I am flying, I get to see land from another perspective. The desert in Arizona and the Cascade Mountains look different at 35,000 feet (give or take) than on foot. You get to look down on clouds than look up at them, and those big buildings look tiny from where you are sitting.

On my flights, I would see individuals, mostly business men sitting and typing away on their laptops and not even bothering to look out the window. I would think, is work really that important to not take a moment to reflect on what is around you and look how beautiful the scenery is outside? But maybe they are like my husband who flies often and are too familiar with what our Earth looks like from a birds eye view? Or perhaps they are afraid of heights? :)

When I see something beautiful, I reflect on it. I thank God for his design. It brings me back to reality knowing that I am just a small person on this huge planet and that I am vulnerable and fragile and that any moment, my life can end.

My one wish as I was flying was to see the Golden Gate Bridge in San Fransisco, California from the air. I have been to the bay area many times, but San Fransisco is one of my favorite cities. Which is why I chose to have my layover there. As we took off, I had my eyes peeled and was looking to see if I was sitting on the right side of the plane. The plane turned and there it was!!! It was a sunny day and I could see the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the whole city itself. It was picture perfect, except I didn't have my camera available *sigh*.

Another interesting experience was when I was flying back to Texas it was daylight, but in the horizon, I could see night. Within minutes it went from sunset to darkness. The moon was bright and lit up the sky. The stars were brighter and seemed at an arms length away. With images like these, how can you not stop for a second and appreciate the beauty of what God has created?

So the next time you find yourself sitting on a plane, possibly surrounded by screaming kids or stinky people, just look out the window and reflect on what you see.

What are some of the amazing things you have seen while flying?

My First Texas Summer

In March when we made the announcement we were moving to Texas, one of the first comments was about how hot it get's in Texas and how miserable it will be. When we arrived in Texas and started meeting new people, one of the first comments was how we would hate the summers. In the back of my mind, I knew those people were wrong. I mean really, I haven't had a summer in the last 4 years while we lived in Portland. My hubby calls me a lizard because I love to be warm and be in the sun. I get grumpy and depressed when I'm not seeing sunlight and having to dress for winter...especially in the "summer" months *sigh.* I HATE being cold. So I was looking forward to my first Texas summer.

Recently someone asked me how I was handling the summer months. I replied that the heat hasn't bothered me yet. I got a surprised reaction....

It has been summer like since we got here in March. Today's high is supposed to be 103 degrees-the 33rd tipple digit day of the summer season. Most people can't wait until cooler weather, I on the other hand is not looking forward to cooler days that are ahead.

 I love how I don't have to wear layers. I love how I don't have to brace myself as I walk outside to the cold or the rain. I love how I don't get soaked while walking to the car or inside a building (true Oregonians don't use an umbrella). I love how I can sit outside or go the pool and soak up the sun and get natural vitamin D (I actually stopped taking the supplement version). I have even noticed my dogs laying in the sun (while they had the option for shade). I have appreciated the warm..and hot sunny days that I have experienced thus far. I don't take it for granted because I know what it is like to be deprived of summer type weather.

So everyone who thought I wouldn't like the Texas heat..I LOVE it. Summer has been great, but I might be thinking differently if we didn't have air conditioning. :D

Texas VS. Oregon

So we have been living in Texas for about 5 months now and we are starting to see the underlying differences of Texas and Oregon.  Since many of you ask, I thought I would start with a list. Who knows, maybe in a year this list will be longer as we learn more about Texas:)

TEXAS     VS.    OREGON

1. Texas has summers and little rain (thus far). Oregon has no (to little) summers and it rains all the time.
 

2. In Texas, there is no such thing as a swirl ice cream cone. We found this out one time when we went to Dairy Queen (DQ) and they didn't even know what we were talking about. Their version was to dip vanilla ice cream in chocolate sauce. 

3. In Texas, you have to pump your own gas. In Oregon, it's illegal to do so. Below is a picture of me learning how to pump my own gas. 

 4. In Texas, you have to pay tax. In Oregon, you don't.

5. Gas in Texas is cheaper than Oregon.

6. People are nicer in Texas than in Portland, Oregon. I say Portland specifically because after living in Oregon for 30 years and the last 4 spent in Portland, I noticed a big difference in how people treat each other. Also last year Portland was ranked one of the top rudest cities in America. Portlander's didn't know why...I DID!

7. In Oregon, you can find a coffee stand pretty much on every corner. Texas, not so much. 

8. Alfalfa sprouts are like non-existent here. 

 
9. Okra...never heard of it until 5 months ago.

10. You can't leave your door open to get fresh air, especially at night. If you do, big June bugs fly in.    Never seen a June bug until 5 months ago (they are ugly).
 

11. Highest Peak in Oregon: Mount Hood - 11,239 feet. Highest peak in Texas: Guadalupe Peak - 8,749 feet.

12. Oregon has big trees. Texas barely has trees.

13, Texas: BBQ, BBQ, BBQ.

14. Oregon: Environmental friendly. 
 

15. When checking the mail or going to your garage, there is a big chance you will see a live lizard.
 

16. Sunsets. Both Texas and Oregon have beautiful sunsets, but you are more likely to see one in Texas every day. 

So this is it so far, at least all that I can think of at this moment. Wonder what other things will come up in the next few months. It has been a learning experience so far. It's been great.

 

Wordless Wednesday

Love Never Gives Up

"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

The last few months as we introduce ourselves to others in our new home state, we say the standard, i.e., our names, where we came from, why we are here, how long we have been married and if we have any children. For those of you who are late to the game, we are The Lehr's, we moved from Oregon to Texas because of a new career and an opportunity to start the next chapter in our lives. We have been married for 6 years (been together for 7 yrs) and we have no kids (but working on it) and have 2.5 dogs.

Over the last few months, I have also reflected a lot on our marriage. Most of you have no clue what we have been through in the last 6 years. Our first year of marriage was crisis after crisis and we went through more things that year than a normal couple would in a lifetime. It was super hard and we have had trials even beyond that first year.

God gives us situations for a reason. We may not know why we have to deal with something so hard, but in the long run, it will make you stronger. Because of what we have been through, I know our love and marriage is real and solid. I believe that if majority of couples went through what we went through, they would have split within the year or two. To me, this means that they never fully valued their spouse and didn't take their vows and marriages seriously. I understand that every couple has their own issues, but what get's me is the way our society treats marriage. Marriage is a gift from God and I am thankful that I get to experience being a wife.

So before taking that step into marriage or if you are having trouble in your marriage, seek God for answers. Make him number 1 in your marriage. Seek a counselor or a person you respect and can provide good insight on relationships and marriage. God can work miracles and give you the marriage or relationship you dream of. Yes, it is still a lot of work, but "love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance."

Life in Texas

A little over two months ago, my husband and I made the journey from Oregon all the way to Texas. We had been talking about moving to Texas for a couple of years now because Texas offers more opportunities and is more economical than many other states. I wasn't too thrilled on moving to Texas. I have lived in Oregon my whole life and really enjoyed being around nature, i.e., the ocean, snow capped mountains, trees, water falls, rivers and lakes. My idea about Texas was flat, brown, hot and  tornadoes. That never sounded too appealing to me.

As we were nearing closer to graduating with our master's degrees and knowing that we will be beginning another chapter in our lives, we had to come up with a plan on what to do next. The plan involved getting into a career or get a better paying job. My husband put in a resume at a consulting firm. Within a couple of weeks, he was able to do a phone interview and eventually flying and meeting with a superior face to face. Needless to say, he got the job and we had 6 weeks to move. Everything seemed to happen suddenly. The company has 7 locations all over the country. Of course one of the options was in Texas (go figure). We had the choice of moving to one of those locations. We talked about what seemed more logical for us and we thought once again Texas would be the most logical to start a new chapter in our lives.

So Texas it was and we had only a few weeks to move. Everything seemed to fall into place. My husband was able to finish up his degree at the end of winter term. I was at a point in my degree where I could work anywhere. We were able to get help with relocation and we even got a good deal on our moving truck. It all just seemed to work out. Even during our journey to Texas where we broke down in the middle of no where in Nevada, we were able to get assistance in a timely manner from the moving company and we were back on the road the next morning.

When we arrived in Texas, we were blessed enough to have my husbands co-worker offer his guest space in their home until we were able to find a place to live. The people we stayed with are very nice and hospitable. The day after we arrived in Texas, we found a place to live! Again, things were falling into place. It felt good to have things work for a change.

Living in Texas has been great. I actually love living here. I love the weather, I love our home and I love our new lifestyle. I love how people are so nice here-which is different than Portland where most people think they are God's gift to the world and are rude (to say it in a nice way). I think we made a wise choice moving to Texas. I am glad that God provided us with the new opportunities that are making us happy. I can't wait to see what happens next..... :D

P.S. Ask me in the fall if I still like the weather. :)

Wordless Wednesday