Port Orford

 A few weeks ago Dude complained that he was ready to burst with the need to go somewhere and have an overnight adventure. Matthew was at work, so I told Dude to make up a presentation and give it to his father. I told him he would have a better chance at being listened to if he presented in a clean space with a respectful attitude. I also told him to be prepared with a list of things he'd be willing to do to earn such an adventure.

Dude took it all very seriously. He cleaned up the upstairs, he made diagrams on the presentation tablet I bought years ago for seminary, he conducted himself with the utmost respect. He did a great job, and Matthew and I both agreed. But then the problem became what kind of adventure and when. Dude didn't seem to care so much about the what as long as it included an overnight stay somewhere as quickly as possible; it couldn't wait until August. So we found the closest free week available and looked for places we could rent along the Oregon Coast that we could pay for with Matthew's Marriott points.

Matthew couldn't come with us because he had projects that would need more of his time. So the week after I got back from Young Women camp, we celebrated the 4th of July with a quiet day at home, and Tuesday the kids and I took off.

We spent Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in Port Orford, Oregon (a small town an hour north of the California border). We found out the first night we were there that the kids have family history in that town. Matthew's mom called to tell us that Port Orford is where her grandparents moved to when she was a little girl and she would go visit them there every summer. She gave us instructions to go to Battlerock beach park and the Prehistoric Gardens. 

Wednesday morning, that's where we went. The kids LOVED Battlerock beach park. They explored every tidepool, touched as many anemones and sea stars they could. We climbed battlerock itself, walked along the beach, climbed some more rocks, and they played in the sand. It was a wonderful morning. At one point, Dude asked if we needed to be anywhere else. I loved the look on his face when I told him he could take all the time he wanted, a mixture of relief and joy.

Eventually we walked home, got something to eat and headed to the Prehistoric Gardens: a grouping of miscellaneous dinosaur statues set in an old-growth forest with a path carefully guiding you through. We did it twice just to fully get the experience. It might have been a little young for the kids but they claimed they enjoyed themselves all the same.

Thursday we did a small hike in town and had lunch before the second leg of our day's adventure. We found a lighthouse with a beach rumored to host some cool rocks to find. We hiked down to the beach where nothing much was to be found, but for the next two hours or so the kids were in more child heaven playing in the sand and waves. I got bored a time or two and wanted to call it quits but I didn't have a good enough reason to drag them away and thy were having so much fun that we stayed and stayed and stayed.

Friday morning they had originally wanted to have a couple last adventures before we left, but by the time we got in the car they ditched their plans in favor of making it home as quickly as possible. Perfect. Everyone, Matthew included, was ready for us to be home.

When it seems like you have to tell your children "no" a lot, it was nice to be able to say "yes". Thanks Dude for advocating for yourself.