An open window lets in the first coy whispers of Spring, and I sit quietly to listen. Her soft sounds harmonizing only with the warm baby breaths echoing off my chest. My eyes land on sunshine-coated caramel grass that spans the hillside, reminding myself and the cows how much lush, bursting life is soon to come.

Did it happen slowly, or all at once?

This sense of home, place, surety.

My childhood was an adventure filled with many houses, rentals we never stayed in for too long. I began to relish the empty canvas of a new room, each upheaval an opportunity for creativity and decor that matched my current whims. The elementary to middle school transition was marked with a solemn switch from neon green, pink, blue, and orange walls to a sophisticated lavender color.