I can still remember the phone call in which I told Sarah about the opportunity to move to the Sierra Foothills: "That will never happen" she replied abruptly.

Her comment captured the moment well; we had a great home in a wonderful neighborhood. Family down the street. Two great jobs. A baby on the way and a baby's nest in progress. We had no reason to leave Orange County.

Enter Sonora. Quite literally, our first season here felt like we were wandering through the wilderness. As new parents, we also had to create a new community, new vocations, new rhythms, and new identities.

When everything is new, it's hard to be you.

Three years later, things are different again. I have watched a new momma become a momma, and now in many ways, a mentor momma. She has resisted the identity as "momma held hostage by toddler" and has embraced an identity as the chief steward of our family. While Bill Murray's Groundhog Day could drive anyone crazy, Sarah wakes up each day and embraces our son with love, tenderness, instruction, and stability. She is a living example of self-denial to me, and to our family.

On a lighter note, I have also observed a change in what is "life giving" for Sarah. Never one for gardening or work outside, she has slowly "turned a new leaf" (see what I did there) and takes to the outdoors tending our garden and chickens, growing food for our family, and inviting others into her new interest. This girl's boots are never clean these days, she works to hard in and out of them.