Tomorrow is our third wedding anniversary. I’ve been thinking about Charlie and how we got here—and about a word that somehow says it all: Agape.

A knock on the door and swim for Charlie. When did red become the new green?

Maybe coming back to life doesn't happen all at once. Maybe it happens over chicken pesto and Scrabble, a basil plant borrowing some sunshine, a butterfly landing on your hand, and a very serious debate about french fries versus tater tots.

We arrived in Durham with three totes, two camping chairs, an air mattress, Charlie's leather tools, and my sewing machine. It wasn't much. And strangely, it felt like enough. Little by little, we're building a home, a creative life, and something of our own.

Following the green lights that lead you to unexpected places, signs that you're headed in the right direction.

It all started with "I do." C & L Mercantile began the same way many good stories do—with two people finding each other at exactly the right time. ​ When Charlie and Lindsey met, life wasn't particularly simple for either of them. But from the very beginning, they listened, showed up, and took care of one another. Somewhere between the everyday moments, the chemistry, and the laughter, they realized they had found a true partner. ​ On August 17, 2023, Lindsey let it slip that