Planner that I am, I have a bucket list, despite the fact that I am still young and in good health (knock on wood). For my 30th birthday, Jonathan’s parents helped me cross one thing off my list. They watched to boys for us, and Jonathan and I woke up at 4:00am, tanked up on coffee, and headed to Newberg, OR to catch a hot air balloon at dawn.
I have to admit, I was a little nervous watching them fill up the balloon with hot air. The basket looked awfully small, and the flame looked really big. Before long, it was all set to go, we jumped in, our pilot unhooked us from our anchor (a van) and we gently lifted off the ground. According to him, the winds were “squirrley,” but I didn’t notice – it seemed like a smooth takeoff to me. The ride was a breeze, so to speak – very peaceful and still. We drifted over the Willamette river (where we attempted a “splash and dash”), just over the tree tops, and on over farms and beautiful houses on large lots. We even saw a couple of horses in a corral get spooked by a curious deer. After our flight there was a champagne toast followed by a delicious homemade brunch. This was definitely an experience I will remember. Thanks Jenny and Bill!