community.

hi.

it's been quiet here for a time. 

i am now settled into a new life. it's different than any other piece of my life quilt. 

i could come, write a few words that paints a picture of everything going just perfectly or i could be raw. open, 

so since moving 28 hours away from the place i have called home for 26 years, even though i did not always live there and many other points of interest on the map stole my heart and for a season called home. california will always be the place i started learning who i was and what life was.

it's hard to know what to write. 

so much has happened. so many feelings felt. so much happiness & sadness has been had.

when moving, no matter how young or old, it has its roller coaster moments.

the truth is, no matter, how many times a person moves, they have adjustments. it seems, i have moved from place to place. so why would this be any different or harder? i should know how it goes,right? well, no. when you leave a place, it has become familiar. you know the people around you, and you have created a community. 

awhile back, i wrote this:

community.

who is in my community?

i could list people that are. do they live near? not all of them.

but what really has me thinking is now, 

i have moved to a new place. how to let these people in to be my face to face 

community.

how to let them in, get to know them. 

no pressure. 

just be.

for who needs a friend... i can be one.

i can connect if it's meant to be.

don't force the friendship.

just be out there

being kind + open to anyone who crosses my path.

& now changing topics.

a few random bits from over the passage of time.

.we moved from the apartment above the norwood store, to the apartment above the even center. (the biggest joy was that my kitchen is now 3x as big)

.ms. katie + ms. jenna came to visit me for a day.

.swimming behind rose's house in the big piney.

.working with rose is a joy.

.jake + i have played tennis a couple times.. and i hope we spend many more evenings at the park.

.saturday morning tradition of going out for breakfast.

.going to my cousin's wedding in california.

.i am currently working on piecing a quilt for sewing.

.i really like that somehow some of us californians ended up here together.

.we visited dad and mom shetler at the brook and got to see what dad has been building this last month.

i am thankful for this life.

-mrs. brooke