Nesting

We have a couple of robins building a nest in a giant old tree in our backyard. The first day we saw her, she had a mouthful of twigs. We followed her with our eyes to a very high branch. There was nothing visible from our vantage point. The next day, while sitting in our lawn chairs, in one corner of the yard, we noticed the tremendous amount of progress that had been made. This time, when we followed her flight back to the branch, a tiny nest was visible. Mr. Robin was also highly visible. He sat on branches, fence posts, wherever needed to protect his girl. He was ever vigilant as she diligently worked. By late afternoon, the nest had doubled in size. It was situated on a branch under an umbrella of leaves...the perfect little home. I've never seen a bird build a nest before. It was amazing and inspiring.

Today, I'm working in my own nest. We moved here ten months ago, and the place is still in a state of confusion. Much of our stuff is still packed in the garage, leaving me feel like I'm not really home. Today, I was arranging one of my husband's dresser drawers, and I found a special necklace I had been looking for, as well as two special crystals I had been wondering about. Every time I find something familiar, I feel more like I belong in this house. Since I don't believe in coincidence, I must give props to the PTB for leading me to them.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, there is something to be said for getting one's house in order. It feels good. It feels comforting, and comfortable. Each rediscovered treasure makes the house more ours... more a home. Just ask Mrs. Robin.

Respite

Well, I've been on vacation for almost two weeks now, and I'm starting to get into my summer rhythm. I'm not always waking at 5:30am and I feel like staying up past 9pm. It feels like more of a natural cycle. My stress level is going down, which is always a good thing.

I find I miss the kids...much more than I thought I would. I realized, this morning, that I now know over 100 teenagers in this town! It makes me feel more a part of the community knowing I know people.

I love not having to rush around in the morning. I lay in bed and listen to the birds until I feel like getting up. This is the summer I am going to begin nurturing my body and soul. I'm going to do things that feed me, and I'm not talking about spending a lot of time with Little Debbie ( oh, how I love those nasty little cakes.) I'm going to read, write, relax, spend time with people I care about, make new friends, and learn new things.

I've begun organizing my house...it's a big job. Much of our stuff is still unpacked, in the garage. Every time I bring in something familiar, it feels more like home. I want my house to be clean enough that I can invite people over without hesitation. I know, in the past, I've used the messy house thing to keep myself isolated.

So, I've begun taking care of myself, a little bit at a time... one task at a time. That way, life doesn't seem so overwhelming. So far, so good.