Opportunity is often missed...

“Opportunity is often missed by many because it’s dressed in overalls and looks like hard work.”

~Thomas Edison

Someone once shared that quote with me long ago, and I never realized how profoundly it would shape my life. It’s become rooted in my bones, a truth that fleshes itself out daily on our little farm in the city.

There’s a certain heartiness to a soul that loves the dirt, who delights in each season as it tucks itself away to make room for the next. The same is true for this publication. Distinctly Northwest is more than just a magazine—it holds deep meaning for me. It was the first time an article I ever wrote was published. The entire experience was tender, kind, and humbling. In a world that often discards the old-fashioned ways of life, calling them outdated or inconvenient, this opportunity felt like an honoring of simpler, richer traditions.

And it made me miss my grandfather.

There’s something that took hold of me when I was young—the deep-rooted ways of life once lived by those before us. I find peace there. As a mother, I’m even more intentional about living that way now. My motherhood is the cornerstone of the legacy I hope to leave behind when I’m called Home.

I pray that if you’re reading this, you might be inspired to get a baby chick in the spring. Teach your children to raise a loving little hen. Stewardship like that requires correcting, dedication, and a whole heap of intentionality—but friends, I promise you, it is worth every bit.

My momma and stepfather raised me that way, just as their parents did before them. They were hard on me, but faithful to teach me how to succeed—how to see a task through. I still smile when I remember the pride in my stepfather’s eyes when I learned to check and change the oil in his equipment.

The old wheat that once stood tall on this farm over 100 years ago—what a sight that must’ve been. I often wonder what the folks who built their dreams here would say if we could sit down for a conversation. I’d like to think they’d be proud.

I choose to honor their legacy. And that moment captured on film, the one on the cover of Distinctly Northwest, with my son’s wild, enthusiastic, genuine joy—that’s a legacy in motion. Boy golly, I sure do love that.

Thank you, truly, for stopping by to read a little more about life on our little farm in the city. We’re grateful for the time, the support, and the shared love of tradition, grit, and good old-fashioned hard work.

Blessings abundant,