Portland, OR, part 1

We got invited to go and attend the kids' cousin Landon's baptism. Things worked out so we could go and with my mother in law and her optimism cheering me on, I found myself booking a trip to Oregon...as the sole traveling parent...for nine days! After booking, I really began to second guess myself. 9 days alone away from home?! What was I thinking?! And then the day before going my kids got sick...all of them! Diarrhea and fevers. Now I really was second guessing my sanity! But, my mother in law, the eternal optimist pointed out that it was such a blessing that I booked 9 days! We would still have Call it insanity, but I planned a 9 day trip to Oregon...as the sole parent going! Eek! What's worse, is all of my kids got sick right before we were scheduled to go! Traveling with four kids alone is not very fun, but with sick kids is torture!