under our sycamore {a goodbye}

11 years ago Chris and I sat on the back porch of a little farmhouse that was for rent. Our two toddlers ran around the yard and I was in the early months of being pregnant with our third. We looked out at the big sycamore and dreamed about what it would be like to raise a family under its branches.

A few months later we convinced the owner to sell it to us and we started making the house into our home.

About year later I began this blog and named it “Under the Sycamore”. On my About page I explained the name in this way:

“Under the large leaves of our backyard sycamore is where we laugh, play, create, eat, rest, dream and live. It is where I’ve watched little ones go from being swaddled on a blanket to wrestling in the grass. Under its shade is where we escape the world and welcome others. In decades to come, my mind will travel back to the lives we lived under its branches. I will be grateful for all the memories captured. Under the sycamore is where the story of my family is written.”

Goodness this tree provided the shade for the sweetest memories of our early years as a family.

I never imagined the sycamore would not be standing tall in our backyard. I dreamed of 5 teenagers under it and maybe even a wedding if I could convince one of the kids.

Every dream for the future I have is centered around my family and time with them. About 8 years ago we drew up plans to add on to our house. The phrase “If you have more than you need, build a bigger table not a higher fence” rings true. I will write another post soon about what we are doing, but today is more like an ode to my tree.

Saturday morning I made breakfast looking out the kitchen sink window one last time at our sycamore. To make room for something new, we had to give up something dear – our sycamore.

So, yeah. It’s weird and sad and hard. I’ll explain the house project and why the tree had to go later. We are going to miss it. We already miss it. However, I am so incredibly grateful for all the memories we have under its’ branches – and that I took so many pictures of the seemingly mundane.

Take pictures of your home. Your couch. Your trees. Your bushes. Your mundane, regular, normal life stuff.

Stunning landscape. Shiplap. Gorgeous entries. Perfectly designed outdoor and indoor spaces. Those things don’t make a house a home. They might make you smile big, but they don’t make a home. And a ‘home’ should be captured just as much as a beautifully designed house. Our sycamore was wonky and crooked and not as a sycamore ‘should’ look, but it will forever be one of my favorite parts of the history of our home.

I’ll figure out something to make with the wood and I’m not planning on changing the name of this blog. I told Chris I might just hang branch from the ceiling to remain ‘Under the Sycamore’ 😉

I posted a story on Instagram – I’ll warn you, seeing the video of a beautiful tree being cut down is hard whether it is your tree or not. If you want to see it, look for the little circle under my name that says “Addition”. It doesn’t work from a desktop, you have to be in the Instagram app.

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