If you have borne, adopted or fostered children then you
understand “nesting”, the almost insatiable need to organize, clean, secure and
make the home ready for a new family member. I remember the nesting instinct
hitting me quite strong before I had my third child. I’d been 4 centimeters
dilated and uncomfortable for 3 weeks and by week 37.5 my doctor gave the okay
to do whatever it was that I was inclined to do. I yielded to recommendations
and purchased castor oil and orange juice.
But before drinking my dose, I had to wash baby clothes,
clean our small three bedroom apartment and set up the baby bed. Doug still
worked roughly 90 hours per week at that time and I praise God for a good
friend who would pick up my 2 ½ and 5 year old for a few hours.
I got a phone call a couple of days before I had scheduled
myself to induce. It was my mom. “I’m going to paint all of your walls for you
so that they are nice and clean by the time you get home from the hospital.”
My ferocious nesting drive turned off and all was right in
the world.
Although I am done having children now, I am in a type of
nesting season. Our house was unsuccessfully on the market for four years so
last January we decided to investigate renovating. We desperately needed an additional
bedroom so that our newest two children didn’t have to share a bedroom with us!
As I turn my head and look out of the French doors of our
great room, I see the faithful workers finishing up the last stages of a very
extensive home renovation: a 2nd deck. You can read more about this
renovation on my personal blog: http://webbwilderness.blogspot.com/
My nesting-like desire was in force last night. I attempted
to hang pictures, to paint old trim, to prepare a DIY wall hanging, and to declutter
the music room so that my castor oil induced daughter can set her drum set up
again. After living in tempered chaos for four months, I want everything to be
in place and done as quickly as possible.
Can you guess what I’m looking forward to? Well, besides a
wonderful spa-like master bathroom and a larger kitchen, I’m looking forward to
sitting outside on our top deck in the cool of the morning and letting the
inspiration of God meet my pen.
I look forward to sitting in one of my new UVa orange Adirondack
chair, gazing at the stars in the night sky and letting God whisper into my
heart. As an introvert, I need these quiet spaces to recharge my soul and
invigorate my creativity.
In a few weeks, after our end-of-year basketball team party,
the completion of our home renovation and my son’s college graduation, I’ll be
able to buckle down again and continue my journey as a writer.
Until then, time to paint my son’s room.
Please visit my page, Ages
and Stages, to find out about my current work in progress.
