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Hood River, Oregon, the place that became for my family and me, a dwelling of refreshment. Our hearts were in dire need of healing. Living in Hood River from November of 1994 to June of 1996 would bring it.
We had been living with my husband’s mother in Dallas, Oregon for a little over a year – not by choice – circumstances beyond our control made our stay with her seven months longer than we intended. Upon moving in with her my husband’s health took a nosedive and he had to go on disability.
When we decided it was time to find our own place, every door we tried to walk through was firmly shut in our face. What was God doing? He had plans beyond our wildest dreams – plans that would bring the restoration to our small family unit that we so desperately needed.
One day my aunt called from Hood River and told us they would be moving back to Eugene and wondered if we would like to rent the house they were living in for $250 a month and have all our utilities paid. The owner of the house rented to Christian people in need and my aunt and uncle wanted to pay our utilities for us.
After deliberation and prayer we decided to take them up on their offer. It was one of the best decisions we ever made.
Our souls drank in the majestic beauty that surrounded this quaint town. As we drove down one street we could see Mt. Adams rise in glorious splendor above the mighty Columbia River.
My favorite spot in the house was the large kitchen where there was a built-in desk with a large window above it that overlooked a forest of various trees, and looming in the distance, the pristine white, snowcapped Mt. Hood.
Looking back I think that for the short eighteen months we lived there we felt like tourists most of the time. As we walked the streets in the downtown area we enjoyed going into the many different shops and had one or two that became favorites. Eating in the deli at the local Walmart on the outskirts of town was always a special treat.
The first time we walked into the public library we felt like we had stepped back in time. My husband and I made our first trip there while our daughter was in school. Card catalogs took center stage. It was a delight to use again, the old-fashioned way of looking for books. More amusing than using the card catalog was seeing the cat that wandered the library; stopping to be petted by patrons now and then or leaping upon chairs to take a nap. We enjoyed many happy moments at the public library.
When we would go for walks we were always amazed when we reached a crosswalk and cars would actually stop to let us cross. We weren’t even pushing a baby stroller. To this day if someone stops for us we say they must be from Hood River.
Our family life was enhanced in this charming town, especially in the wonderful house God provided for us to live in. My husband’s health improved from being under much less stress. Living with his mom had taken more of a toll on him than we realized. Even though he was still really sick during this time and on kidney dialysis, Hood River remains in our memories a very special place; a place we would move back to in half a heartbeat.
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