Over the last 15 years of marriage my husband and I try to carve out intentional time away together—just the two of us—at least once a year. Life doesn’t always make it easy, and there have been seasons where we’ve missed a trip or two, but overall, we’ve been committed to creating space for connection, rest, and shared experiences. Even through the challenges of our marriage we find it valuable to reserve space for uninterrupted time. Some of our most meaningful memories have come from that dedicated time together; stepping away from responsibility, worry and the pressures of life and simply enjoying being present with one another.

When we first moved to Tennessee, I found myself drawn to the Bradford pear trees that line the entryway to our neighborhood. Their blooms are striking—bright white, delicate, and hard to miss. Having grown up around dogwood trees in Kentucky, I naturally associated that same sense of beauty and renewal with them. To the eye, they feel similar—both stunning in their own way. But a moment of curiosity shifted my perspective.

Over the years, I have grown to appreciate the quiet pause and stillness in life. The moments we often overlook—the soft rhythm of rain against a window, the sound of leaves beneath our feet, the way the sky shifts at the end of a long day. I’ve learned to lean into these spaces, to find gratitude in the simple, steady presence of nature and what it quietly offers. There is something about nature that mirrors the human experience—if we are willing to slow down long enough to notice it.

When we first moved to Tennessee, I found myself drawn to the Bradford pear trees that line the entryway to our neighborhood. Their blooms are striking—bright white, delicate, and hard to miss. Having grown up around dogwood trees in Kentucky, I naturally associated that same sense of beauty and renewal with them. To the eye, they feel similar—both stunning in their own way. But a moment of curiosity shifted my perspective.

Where did you grow up? It’s a common question. We hear it often, especially when first meeting someone. “So where did you grow up?” And we usually respond with the name of the city or town, the state, or if we grew up in a rural area, we might say “the farm” or “in the country.”