What I've learned living in Vermont
Four years and seven months ago I was bright-eyed and super jazzed about moving to New England. I visited Boston in 2013 and really loved the seasonality, vibe, and history the area offered. When my husband and I contemplated a move during the pandemic (like many Americans did), we dreamed about a spot that was rural, had a little land, and for me, lots and lots of SNOW. Let's just say the classic film White Christmas had put many Hollywood-glazed ideas in my head about what Vermont would be like, though I had never actually been. Ever.
Fast-forward to October of 2021 when we arrived at an old 1900 farmhouse that needed lots of love and had the most uneven floors I had ever stepped on (there's also literally a tree trunk in the basement serving as a support post, but I digress). Do I recommend buying a house sight unseen? No. Do I regret buying this house in said manner? Also no. Our time in Vermont has resulted in some of the most spiritually fruitful, confidence-building years of my life. I could probably write an entire book about it, but this is a blog so I will do what's reasonable and give you just a few highlights here.
Spiritual Growth
Though Vermont is at the top among the least religious states in the entire nation, Adoration chapels are more accessible than one might think. In fact there's a chapel about 10 minutes from our house that I had the privilege of re-painting in 2025. After we moved here, my life became much quieter and less busy and I made more time to go to adoration than I had in Texas. The mere presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament started to transform my heart, give me peace, and deepen my relationship with the Holy Trinity. I'm a weak and miserable sinner, but when I was driving my daughter to ballet on a regular basis and choosing to go to the nearby chapel (admittedly at first because there was literally nothing else to do) my interior life started to actually take shape in a more meaningful way. I began to look forward to spending time with the Lord.
Not long after moving here I had a sense that New England needed prayer very badly, so I started to take little steps to "proclaim" my faith and move out of a place of fear that had prevented me from sharing my faith in the past. Firstly I ordered a Divine Mercy sign for our yard. It ruffled some feathers. My reaction? I was so unbelievably pumped! I thought, "man, if someone sees this sign and thinks about the Lord, then Goodness wins again." The fact that it angered some neighbors didn't deter me at all. It was my way of saying, "I believe, and you should too. And if things go down, I want you to know you can come to our house and ask questions and find a way forward that leads to God." Wishful thinking on my part, maybe. But also you never know how a seed can be planted in someone's heart. People in our small village knew we were from Texas — now they knew we're Catholics from Texas. #winning
Seasons are (Really) Good
I hadn't lived in a place with real seasons and used to joke that Houston summers were my winters because I would hide indoors in the A/C until October. What I learned living in the northeast is that the seasons shape life and that's actually a really good thing. It's living Ecclesiastes 3 in a yearly cycle. This cycle shaped my creativity and helped me learn not to fight against fallow seasons, or resting times, but to flow with them. To go to "war" with myself when it was cold and the last thing I wanted to do was change into real clothes and go for a walk, and to embrace the peace that comes with every season is a real gift. Living the cycle of nature in tandem with the liturgical year has yet again highlighted the Church in her wisdom and the beauty therein. When you see spring explode all around you from the death of winter for the first time, Eastertide becomes even more palpable!
Confidence Growth
If you've lived in a house that you theoretically-might-own-one-day-if-you-get-this-dang mortgage-paid-off, then you know what goes into maintaining and fixing it. Take that and multiply it by a stress factor of ten if it's old. At least, that's what I used to think. My husband and I have learned so much about self-sufficiency and DIY capabilities since living in a state where finding someone to do the work for you requires patience pants size XXL. The tradesmen in Vermont are always booked out, so you need to learn to do some stuff yourself, and said tradesmen encourage it! We've poured time and love into this house and leave it way better than we found it, and it's a great place. It's well-built and full of character and coziness. I'm happy that we've learned so much and realized we can do so much on our own! (We did use the pros for the super important stuff, by the way).
To Conclude...
I really believe moving to Vermont was part of God's plan for our life's adventure. I've shivered in this drafty office and offered it up in the winter, sweat my eyeballs out and offered it up in the summer, and been able to let go of many things that just aren't important. Don't get me wrong, I'm a city mouse so it's been challenging, but I'm so excited for what the Lord has in store for our next adventure in the Midwest. The Catholic community that awaits us, the potential friends for our kids, and the fact that I still get to live in four seasons has me stoked for what's to come.
Thanks for following along with me, and for your prayers! You're in mine of course.
Yours in Christ,
P.S. If you're from the Fort Wayne area — or any spot in the Midwest — leave me a comment! And if not, leave a comment anyway ;)