It's been a little over a week since my previous Caregiver's Diary entry, but, praise Jesus, it's not because anything particularly concerning is going on with mom.
Things have been hectic, as usual, over the last week or so, but for mostly good reasons: we're preparing to start a few early spring projects, some of the things I've had on my "to-do" list to get started on, but just kept putting off, primarily because, like others, I'm a better planner sometimes than I am a doer.
My dad was like that, too, to a certain extent, and my mom would joke that the reason projects around the house would languish for so long is that my dad had to let them "season" first - sometimes for weeks or months, or in the case of the installation of a new kitchen sink, well over a year.
It's amazing how your mindset can change in the latter days of winter when it's clear that spring is just around the corner. The weather here got warm a few weeks before spring officially started, and that's all it took for me to break out my list to start scanning for things we could do that would be relatively simple, would cost little to no money, and which wouldn't put my mom in a position to have to call 911 in the event I took on something I shouldn't have. ;)
SEE ALSO (VIP): The Dramatic Conclusion to the Latest Home Repair Adventure
The only thing health-related going on that I'm aware of relates to the occasional stress-induced nocturnal panic attacks I still have after I go to bed, something I wrote about in previous entries. I've learned ways to manage them better and am praying that they again taper off to the point I don't have them anymore.
One of the ways I'm hoping will assist in that endeavor is by pursuing those house projects. I'm like a lot of people in that when I immerse myself in a project -- whether it's work or personal -- I find that the internal stresses that I sometimes keep bottled up tend to ease up, even though they don't fully go away.
That sense of accomplishment you have once you've completed it is really good for the soul and often leads to the type of contentment and sense of sereneness that is otherwise hard to find amid the daily crush and grind. Not to mention the good night's sleep that comes with them.
Another way I am trying to better manage stress levels is by appreciating all that nature has to offer this time of year. I'm a spring and autumn girl, and when spring rolls around, and the trees and flowers and bushes start showing their true colors, it truly is a sight to see, God's artwork in full effect.
RELATED (VIP): Caregiver's Diary Part 81: Blissful Moments of Normalcy
I find that, in terms of nature and the outdoors at least, the thing that gives me the most peace is taking the time to watch our bird feeders and bird baths. I've come a long way from the days when I thought the bird feeders were going to be more hassle than they were worth, that's for sure.
Several months ago, I talked about how I was concerned over the considerable drop-off in traffic that I'd seen around our feeders, and how I worried as time went on if we'd ever see the number of birds, squirrels, woodpeckers, etc. that we had gotten used to enjoying. Many readers noted similar issues with their feeders, but assured me that they would be back in due time.
Suffice it to say that they are indeed back in full force, with the cardinals, wrens, woodpeckers, sparrows, robins, and all the rest making their presence known in the backyard. We're seeing deer as well, with eight counted at the last sighting, usually right after sunrise. We even saw a yellow finch on Tuesday morning, a rare sight for us.
Something sweet I've noticed in recent days is how, after a particularly busy day where I'm really tired at the end of it, Mr. C will show up at the feeders long after most of the other birds have settled down in their nests for the day. He'll spend several minutes at a time at each feeder, including the one closest to me. It's not unusual; last spring and summer, the cardinals would more often than not frequent the feeders in the early evening hours when they were less busy.
But this time around, it's just one cardinal: Mr. C, and now I'm looking at him differently when he "joins" Mom and me at the end of a long day. Though I know it's just coincidental, it's like he's spending time with us. Or, more to the point, it's like my dad is checking in on us to make sure we're okay because, as the saying goes, when cardinals appear, angels are near, and I choose to believe my dad's spirit lives on in our sweet cardinals.
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