We've had the pleasure of enjoying life in this particular peaceful corner of our world for nearly fourteen years.
Our home-sweet-home rests in a quaint little town in the heart of North Carolina.
A place where the skies are 'carolina' blue.
A place where random passers-by smile and wave like you're their best-ever friend.
A place where preachin', teachin', believin' and redeemin' churches sit beautifully on nearly every street corner. No exaggeration!
And, a place where young and old alike enjoy passing the sunny days on front porch rocking chairs while sippin' nothing-could-be-sweeter southern tea . . . y'all.
Now that Spring has sprung, and Summer is just 'round the bend, there's right much more smilin', wavin', rockin', and sweet tea sippin' goin' on 'round these parts.
My personal favorite? None of the above.
Personally, I get the biggest kick out of all the bird nests that in an eye's blink appear on and around our front porch while I contentedly take part in all the smilin', wavin', rockin' and sippin' going on in our little neck of the woods.
You might even catch me carrying a tune in my bucket while Joe - my husband of thirty-four years strums a guitar tune in his rocking chair, positioned close to my own.
I know what you're thinking. Sounds a little too Mayberry-like, and Andy and Opie-like. True, nonetheless. And I love every cotton-pickin', guitar-pickin', chair-rockin' minute of it.
Back to the bird nest part of this story . . . I'm not at all annoyed that momma birds find great pleasure in building their perfect little nests smack dab in the middle of my hanging flower baskets. Not in the least.
If I were a momma bird, it's guaranteed I'd prefer a home-site such as this for my own offspring.
In what seems like no time at all, these adorable joy-bundles spread their wings and take flight in an all-out attempt to discover the excitement of the world on their own, make their own decisions, and eventually build nests of their own.
And though her eyes are ever-watchful, the momma bird lovingly allows them to do so, while her heart swells with pride. After all, this is what she's spent so much of her time preparing them for.
It's quite apparent she has no desire to have them hanging around the nest 'til they're middle-aged.
And though she's keenly aware that there'll be bumps in the road (or, 'sky' in their case), momma bird exudes an air confidence that her child-rearing days have equipped her offspring to ride life's storms with perseverance, critical thinking, and above all . . . grace.
Joe and I are officially empty nesters now.
To tell the truth, we've actually been empty nesters for the past four years. Our youngest daughter, Shelby, graduated from high school in 2008. And in an eye's blink, her freshman year of college came and went.
Fast forward . . . Shelby graduates from college next weekend. Double major: Health Sciences and Sports Medicine. While continuing her education in order to realize her dream of becoming 'Shelby Bowser, Orthopedic Physician's Assistant', she'll be employed as an Emergency Medical Technician, as well as an intern at the office of an Orthopedic Trauma Physician.
My heart? Yep. It's feeling a bit heavy at this time.
Could it be that my heart's swollen?
Indeed! With pride.
I'm proud of Shelby's accomplishments. She's an intelligent young lady, and her future is bright.
Like the momma bird who resides on my front porch with her five children, my hopes and dreams for Shelby include only life's best.
I've got to hand it to the momma bird who calls my front porch her home. Like her nest-building skills, she's got impeccable upbringing skills.
I must admit, I've had my share of errors in judgement over the years raising my own three children. I'm guessing most parents feel that way. The learning curves of life, I suppose.
Even so, my heart's swollen pride persists. Likely, due to the admiration I have for all three of our children - Dan, Shannon, and Shelby.
The heart-swelling has even increased considerably since I've become the very proud Grandma of Lindsey, Audrey, Samuel, and Anderson. 9, 4, 3, and 3 years old, respectively. Two sweet little girls, and two 'all-boy' twin boys. All of whom I absolutely adore.
My thirty-five years of nest-building and nest-emptying have been some of the best years of my life.
Now, two of our three children (Dan and Shannon) and their spouses have been in the business of nest-building for a number of years.
Their particular nests aren't mirror images of the nest they grew up in, but they do bear some striking resemblances.
The resemblances are fascinating. The differences are captivating.
While reminiscing about the good old days at our own 'nest' is fun . . . watching the days and years ahead unfold is even more so.
The empy nest syndrome? Good grief. Sounds like an affliction.
I'm not afflicted. Not in the least.
Rather, I'm comforted by the fine young adults my children have become.
I thank God for my children.
And thank God my children and Grandchildren find pleasure in visiting our 'nest' often. It does this Gramma's heart good.
Proverbs 17: 6
Children's children are a crown to the aged.
And, parents are the pride of their children.
