Immediately, when Marc and I moved here from Austin, Texas, I saw this “Grow” sign that was barely visible from the road while walking Starfish at our Airbnb. It was covered in overgrown plants.
I was intrigued.
I don’t know about you, but I am always searching for signs. I took one look at the sign, whipped out my iPhone, and took a picture.
I sincerely hoped the Quad Cities would be grounds for fertile soil for us.
Those first few months driving around town, I saw many “Quad City Restoration” signs. I wasn’t able to get any pictures while driving by, but the word “restoration” stuck with me. I also heard about many restoration houses going up around the city for families who couldn’t afford a house whether through the city of Davenport, a few of the local churches, or non-profit ministries like One Eighty.
To my surprise, the Merriam-Webster dictionary lists one of the definitions as “the replacing of missing teeth or crowns.”
When Marc and I first moved here, we were in rough shape. Marc had had a few awful jobs in Texas. I was still missing a tooth from a dental crisis that started a year prior. We relocated to Davenport for his new job at John Deere, and we’ve been here ever since. Almost one year after living here, I finally got my missing tooth restored.
So…much…growth…happened in the dental crisis, cross-country move, and job change for Marc. So much so that our family grew in number. We found out we were expecting one month before I got the final crown for my dental implant!
We were shocked. Our miracle rainbow baby came six years after a miscarriage.
When I think of the Quad Cities, I can’t help but say it is a place of restoration for me and my family.
But it goes deeper than that.
I believe the QC is a place of restoration for all people who live here. The Quad Cities may be an older, more well-established area with many houses in need of restoration, and let’s be honest—people too, but I have learned in the short three years I’ve been here that there are a LOT of hard-working good people who live and love here. There are still many opportunities to grow (and not just because the four seasons make the soil fertile ground).
The verse that I believe is for the QC:
“He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.” 2 Samuel 22:20 & Psalm 18:19
A few things I love living in the QC:
Affordable housing
Everywhere I go I run into at least one person I know
I can have real conversations with just about anyone
There are more pretty places and parks to count than I have time to visit
The four seasons
The slower pace of life
Less traffic
Within driving distance of major cities like Des Moines, Omaha, Chicago, St. Louis, Wisconsin Dells, etc.
People remember your name
Many great places to volunteer, spend your time, create a new hobby, or just go for a walk on one of the numerous parks, gardens, and trails
Art Murals
Libraries
Coffeeshops
Each place Marc and I lived had a distinct vibe.
Southern California felt shallow.
Texas felt larger than life.
Iowa feels like a mixture of deep roots and restoration.
I now have a personalized brick at the Quad City Botanical Center, my favorite place in the QC. I hope that everyone who walks through their doors and finds the brick will take a moment to ponder in his or her heart like I did when I first saw “Quad City Restoration” signs.
I love the tagline at the Quad City Botanical Center that says, “Plant Yourself Here.” Thank you Quad Cities, I think I might just do that.