Eleven.

We fell in love with this land when it was bare and colorless. Most of the trees were dormant and leafless, and the ground was nothing but brown dirt. It didn’t matter though. We still saw beauty here and knew it was home. In the last few months we’ve been here we’ve seen some of the heaviest rains we’ve seen in years. We’ve missed the sunshine this winter! But now, spring has arrived, and we could never have guessed how much this land would change with the coming of the season. The dirt is now covered in green. The once bare apple trees now have the most beautiful white blossoms covering the branches. Our view of those trees from our family room has always been one I love, but now with the apple blossoms filling the window, it’s something I adore even more!

It's still and quiet here, but it’s definitely not lifeless. The kids and I will sit on our couch and watch the birds dart into the apple trees searching for fruit to steal. Or, from that same spot, the kids crack up as we often see a pair of squirrels quickly chasing each other through the yard. There’s less traffic noise, less neighbor interaction, less hustle and bustle but so, so much more life! The trees remind us what being alive looks like- seasons of production and then seasons of rest. The animals remind us what being alive looks like- moments of work mixed with moments of play.

We’ve been reading Laura Ingalls Wilder books with the kids, and I think one of her quotes sums it up perfectly, “We who live in quiet places have the opportunity to become acquainted with ourselves, to think our own thoughts and live our own lives in a way that is not possible for those keeping up with the crowd.”

As the land changes here we feel our hearts changing, too. And We feel a little more alive!