These Small Hours

Over 100 years ago my great-grandmother was given a house plant as a wedding present. When she died, her daughter (my great aunt) took the plant into her home and cared for it for many years. When my great aunt was preparing to serve a mission she told me the story of the plant and asked if I'd be it's new owner.

I've never had a green thumb, but this plant has been around for over a century so how could I possibly kill it?

I did almost kill it when we moved it from Idaho to St. Louis 3 years ago. It had to travel with small children and a cat in the hot summer car for 3 days. It didn't fare well, but it had enough life to snap out of it.

If I thought it was bad on the way to St. Louis, the trip back to Idaho was worse. All it's leaves got broken off and it was too cold in the back of the car for it. I have to admire this spunky little plant for not keeling over after that trip. It now has one green stalk and is trying so hard to grow a new leaf. I'm determined to nurse it back to health and will post occasionally with plant improvement updates.

On Dec. 21, 2009 our family drove from St. Louis, MO to Shelley, ID to spend the holidays with our family. We had a wonderful time visiting with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. On Jan. 4, 2010 Micah started his new job working as an Occupational Therapist in Grangeville, ID and our family moved there the following week.

Grangeville is located along U.S. Highway 95 where the edge of the Camas Prairie and Nez Perce National Forest converge before rising 2800 vertical feet from the floor of the prairie to provide an unequaled backdrop for the City of Grangeville.

I've had to battle some homesickness for the city of St. Louis and our friends there, but I grew up in a small town just like this one and know the good that can come of it. We're looking forward to getting to know this place and the people in it.