Nesting

Slowly, slowly, ever so slowly, our house is gaining ground toward feeling like home. It's slow going because there's about a bazillion things that require attention in every room.

Like my father-in-law said, each time you start a project in this house, another comes up, and it leaves you feeling like, "Squirrel!"

If you've seen Up or have a dog, you get the reference.

It's fitting- I'll go out to the garage, heave and heft a box through the maze of piles and not-yet-relocated furniture, tromp through the laundry room on my way to whichever room the box belongs to, and realize the only towel that's been unpacked so far is sitting in the washing machine, needing to switch to the dryer. So I'll put the box down, switch out the laundry, and hoist the box back to my hip. As I maneuver through the kitchen, I see something sitting on top of another box that belongs in the room I'm headed to, so I pause to skim it off the top, and in doing that see that it's a box full of odds-n-ends and there is actually several things that need to go to other rooms. Before I know it, I'm unpacking said box, the original box on the floor being piled high with other things. When I finally get around to bringing the box to it's destination, I'll realize that whatever needs to be unpacked can't be put away because where it needs to go hasn't been cleaned yet- cabinets not wiped out, potty/bathtub/sink still gross, floors not mopped or vacuumed....... you get the idea.

And so it goes.

However, I've been able to focus enough here or there to start making some tangible progress, and it feels good. I've noticed that the kids seem to gravitate in their play towards the more settled areas of the house, and I seem to do the same thing. It's comforting, really, to start seeing things that are familiar here and there...

...and it seems we aren't the only ones who have taken notice of the nesting progress. I think we're all craving a feeling of Home, and that is my motivation as I move through the days and boxes towards "Settled."