Flowers - An apt Name for the First Day of Spring in a Season of Waiting

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that a collection I’ve been dreaming of for years landed during a season when I feel like I’m in a time of waiting. There’s been a lot of pain in this waiting, a lot of uncertainty. If you’ve followed me for a while, you may have heard snippets of my story on social media, but I haven't shared a lot about this deeply personal side of me.

In July of 2023, my husband and I, both together and separately, felt God calling us to move to Southern California—specifically, Orange County. I'm originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, where I grew up, and when my husband and I moved to the Bay Area 18 years ago from LA (where he's from), we thought it would be our forever home.  But when an unexpected internship opportunity arose at a church my husband had admired from afar, we felt it was God’s way of guiding us down here. Of course, there were moments of great doubt, when we would basically call off the move -- only to witness God gently showing us over and over again what His will was for us. Miracle upon miracle, growing my faith to trust Him. 

So, we made the move just before Thanksgiving of 2023, and since then, it’s been a season of immense growth and healing (which, as we know, often comes with a bit of suffering and pain). Leaving our home unexpectedly triggered a childhood trauma that I hadn’t realized was there—a feeling of abandonment that started when I was 3 years old, but which came to the surface more intensely when I was 9, having to leave my mother behind in Taiwan while the rest of our family immigrated to the U.S.

This journey of moving also led to unexpected, beautiful friendships—ones I didn’t even know I needed (including the miracle of having one of my college friends literally live 4 minutes away from me, and we now go on weekly walks together). In truth, I only ever focused on wanting my children to have friends. I didn’t realize how much I too needed that support, especially during this hard season.

Fast forward to just a few months ago when I stumbled upon the song “Flowers” by Samantha Ebert while I was finalizing the designs for this collection. In that moment, I knew without a doubt that this was the perfect name for this collection at this point in my life—and for EleStory's journey. There were days when I would listen to this song on repeat, overcome with emotion, asking myself "Why am I in this place of pain?" 

Here are the lyrics from her song that resonated so deeply with me:

Well, blue skies and hillsides feel so far away
And I wrote in my notebook that I’ve seen better days
Than the ones as of late, I can't bear the weight
The rain won’t stop pouring out my window pane
And I haven’t left my bedroom in 76 days
I wish something would change
’Cause I’m losing faith

So I brought it up in a desperate prayer
Lord, why are you keeping me here?

Then He said to me, "Child, I’m planting seeds
I’m a good God and I have a good plan
So trust that I’m holding a watering can
And someday you’ll see that flowers grow in the valley."

So whatever the reason, I’m barely getting by
I’ll trust it's a season knowing that you’re by my side
Every step of the way
And I’ll be okay

’Cause I brought it up in a desperate prayer
Lord, why are you keeping me here?
Then He said to me, "Child, I’m planting seeds
I’m a good God and I have a good plan
So trust that I’m holding a watering can
And someday you’ll see that flowers grow in the valley"

When I’m on the mountain and looking down below
I’ll see a valley of flowers that needed time to grow
And I’ll thank you for the rain, the hurt, and days of pain
And I’ll bring it up in a grateful prayer

Thank you, Jesus, for keeping me there
You know just what I need, and you’ve planted seeds
’Cause you’re a good God with a real good plan
And you hold my world and a watering can
So I can have peace ’cause flowers grow in the valley.

These words cut to the core of my soul. I know that there’s a plan for me, for my husband, and our girls. While I’m beginning to see glimpses of good and promise, I still have moments of fear and even regret—wondering if we made the right choice by picking up and leaving. Let’s be real—no one likes the pain and growth that come with transitions, right? But I believe that seeds are being planted during this waiting season. And when those seeds bloom, the flowers that grow in the valley will be more vibrant and beautiful than I can imagine—a constant reminder that God has been with us every step of the way.

Thank you for being here, for reading this. It’s hard to express how much it means to me. There have been times when I’ve felt lost, juggling the business and sometimes questioning my purpose. But your letters, sweet notes, reviews, stories, and photos of you and your families have been a light in these times of uncertainty, pain, healing, and growth.

By sharing the deeper meaning behind Flowers, I hope you’ll find something of personal connection within it too. This collection is exquisite, and I cannot wait for you to experience it in person—to see it, to feel it, and maybe to find a piece of your own journey reflected in it.

With love and flowers,
Judy

Shop the entire Flowers collection HERE.