At Market's End

I should warn you: this is going to be yet another overly gushy post about how much I love my girls.  It should really go without saying, but I still can't help saying it.

The Farmer's Market is a bright spot in our lives every Friday, five months out of the year.  I eagerly await it's opening in the Spring and equally dread the last Market in the Fall...well, I suppose the Friday after the last market is most depressing. 

The Farmer's Market isn't just a venue in which to purchase delicious produce, meat and a variety of other handmade goods, but an opportunity to become a part of a community: to support local farmers and small business owners, to create bonds and relationships with the people making food and goods for your family.  It's a beautiful thing.

What is even more beautiful is how much Audrey and Bailey love the Market.  We tend to hit up the same sellers every week; the 'bread guy' the 'wine lady' and a host of other people who the girls have steadily charmed over the months.  Some of these people, we've known through the years and most of them, right down to the guy singing Johnny Cash covers mentioned looking forward to seeing the girls next Spring. 

This is community--something that I never really valued until I had children.  I am blessed to be surrounded by so much loveliness and sad to know that it will be so long before we have the opportunity to see these people again.  It makes me all the more determined to find ways to integrate ourselves into our community outside of the Farmer's Market.  Having kids this adorable, it would really be selfish to hog all that cuteness.  The world must know!