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Boho Boy and I have looked at one another many times throughout the last few days and said "we live here!". Last night we were all snuggled up on the couch, Cedar in the middle and we gave one another a knowing look, leaned over his head and kissed. One of the many neighbors that have stopped by to get to know the new folk in their precious community said something that has sunk deep into my bones. She was laying under our apple tree (which we didn't know was an apple tree until she told us) and pointed to me and Boho Boy and said "you two are going to fall in love all over again here." I had only known her for a few minutes. Yet, with her hearing just a bit of our story, she saw us deep and knew how much we needed this. She was right. I feel like that is exactly what is happening to us. Falling in love all over again. Not only with one another. But with grass and rain and sun and rock and creek and flora...and being with people in the flesh. I don't know even how to put it into words. And I am a writer of sorts. But my heart hasn't stopped swelling and my fingers haven't stopped pinching myself to see if this is all real. I haven't been outside this much in I don't know how long. Cedar has never been so blissed out and worn out in a good way. We live in such a gem of a place and community. That is what all the neighbors tell us. "You'll never want to leave this street and if you do, you'll come back...like all of us."
Today Cedar and I planned to just walk a block down the road to get some fresh air. We ran into my neighbor and new friend Annie (the one who told us about our apple tree...and cherrie and pear trees) and her two Great Dane's. She asked if she could take us on a stroll around the neighborhood. Up until today, we had only walked down the road to the water and the train track. We've been so busy unpacking that we were waiting until we felt more settled to venture out the other direction. But when she asked us, I thought to myself...why not? I can leave the mess at home and start living more in the present like everyone else does around here. They move more slower and mindful and its beginning to feel really nice. I love that I befriended the neighbor that seems to know the most about he history of this community. She was like a walking encyclopedia about the homes and who lives in them now and who lived in them a hundred years ago. Along the way we ran into a little boy that people have been telling us about. I've heard that him and Cedar are kindreds. Two quirky souls that are bound to connect. Well, it happened naturally, of course and oh how I saw so much of Cedar in him...but 5 years in the future. This sweet boy showed us a weed that you can peel and eat and it was sweet as nectar.
I giggled to myself. I feel like I am walking through the pages of a few of my favorite stories...Secret Life of Bees or Stand by Me. I can't believe this is my new life. I can't believe all of this has happened in just a few days. I can't remember the last time I cried tears of joy rather than sadness.