in Portland

Enjoying my last days in the US with Avery and Ashton and their parents, too. Last minute shopping (a frantic run to REI last night for help reassembling my carry-on), watching Avery's golf lessons (every other kid in there was blond, whereas the space right next to it with some sort of gymnastics was all Chinese and Indian kids - strange segregation!). BTW, Avery is extremely interested in China right now, has made the goal to see the Great Wall (asked if I'll take him there when he's 18 or so) and has started asking all sorts of questions about his Chinese great-grandparents. We got a world map so he can trace where I'm traveling over the next months.

Ashton has developed a skill that will help him for the rest of his life - he does something mischievous and then smiles this great smile that melts the wrong-doing. Let's hope he continues to use his powers for good, because it's quite a smile (which he refuses to allow to be photographed until he copyrights it).

I take off EAAARLY tomorrow - it will be very hard to force myself out of that most comfortable king-size bed to endure two days of flying to Ghana.