Gone....

The nest is now empty as we got to watch the last 2 fly from the nest and hear mama calling them and they calling back.  WOW that was fast!!  Time to let go.

As a mama of 4 little (well grown) birdies myself this has been a wonderful but somewhat bittersweet experience.  I too have watched as 3 of my 4 birdies have flown the nest.  My one that is home is married and they lead their own life just under our roof for a time.

It is so fun to watch them grow and then to watch as they are young adults flying the nest.  It is also a bit sad to see the empty "nest" or rooms....which I have already filled with my stuff so I guess it didn't take long to grieve. 

Just like the mama bird I am here for my kids.  They can call out to me and I will be there for them.  I am thankful that it took 18 years for my kids to grow and not just the 2 weeks it does for a robin. 

More on the babies....

Well the time has come for our baby robin's to leave the nest.

Yesterday their nest was overflowing.

When arriving home from the store we found one had "dropped" out of the nest.

On to the bricks under the nest.  I did not think this was the safest place for this little one so I read up and decided to put it back for now knowing that most likely it would be out by the next day or so.  I didn't want to just put it on the ground for animals to eat.

A little closer....so cute!!  We know where all their poop has gone...haha.

This morning I go out to check and this is what I see....

One was standing proud or scared ready to fly if I got too close.  Plus I only could see 3 in there and looked around on the ground to see if I could see #4 but my guess is that one took off.  Hopefully it is safe.

Well I did freak the little one out enough that it flew over to a near-by bush (better than the ground to me).

Of course it should have known that it would have to be photographed.  It was cool to see this little one fly after seeing it nearly hairless and so small just less than 2 weeks ago.

Then there were 2!!

My guess is this nest will be completely empty before the end of this week. 

Maybe we will get lucky and mama will decide to use this nest again in the near future but next time I will try and leave them alone.....I said TRY!!

It has been a great joy to watch these birds go from eggs to "teen" birds and flying the nest.

What a difference a week makes!!

Just a week later and look how much they have changed....

Won't be long now until they are leaving the nest.  Mama has done a really good job taking care of her babies.

Update.....

Well the robin eggs all hatched.  Not sure exactly when as I was out-of-town and asking my husband to check on them.  On the 9th he did not look but didn't hear anything so assumed they were still eggs.

I returned late on the 11th so the next morning I check and there were 4 little babies in the nest.

By the looks and what I have read they were probably a day or 2 old at this point.

They are growing fast.  In my reading I learned they usually leave the nest about 2 weeks after hatching.  I can see why as they are starting to get to big for the nest. 

They are funny because when I go to look at them they stick their heads and mouths up like this (above picture).   I am sure they are expecting mom to feed them.

We also have a nest in the back which we cannot see into but can hear the little ones.

This morning I went to check on them and they filled the nest, have feathers starting and mama came up right  above my head to let me know I better leave her babies alone.

From now on I might just have to watch at a distance knowing that in about a week those little ones will be taking flight and leaving the nest.

I am very happy mama robin decided to build her nest right at my front door.

Guest at the front door

Okay so I just posted an update but I felt this needed to have its own post.  We have a robin's next right out our front door.  It is so close to the door.  Here is mama (or daddy, can't tell which one since they look alike and both take care of the nest) sitting on the nest....

See it is right next to our front door so every time someone goes in or out mom/dad leave the nest.  I had to go from the back to get these pictures.

I got a little closer and got this right before she/he took off.  They don't go far and will scream at us when we get close.

They did a really good job and it is protected by weather.  Just a bad place right by the front door.  I am guessing that mama is saying "next time we will find a place with less people coming in and out all the time".  Just my thoughts.  There is also one in the back but I can't get to it to see if there are any eggs in there.

And here are the eggs!!  I am really hoping that at least 2 or 3 hatch and we get to hear them and see them.  What I read was they should hatch between 14-16 days.  We saw the first egg on 4/24 so sometime this weekend there should be babies!!!

Hopefully I can report, with pictures sometime next week.

Spring has sprung....

It has been almost 3 months since I last blogged so I will try and catch you up.....busy/lazy.  Well that should do it.........
 
I have been busy.  My coworker had surgery so I worked to pick up her part on top of mine (which they overlap a lot being we are both Medical Assistants) but I do more front office stuff on top of the back office so it was a bit stressful but looking back it was good for me and I liked the challenge.  Glad she is doing better and back to work.

I say spring is here but we never really did have a winter here in our neck of the woods.  I like it that way but know it will not always be that way.  The only bad thing.....allergies!!  With no deep freeze we have a lot of people with major allergy issues.

I would love to report that I am enjoying my Joy devotional but the truth is....I stopped doing it when I started working more.  I can always pick it back up.  I still have JOY!! and that is more important than making sure I do that devotional everyday.  

I am exercising and loving it.  Love going for walks with my wonderful hubby, doing Pilate's and a few different things.  Just want to stay active. 

I love spending time with my kids (which now I have 5....my oldest son got married!!).  Very blessed with a wonderful, beautiful daughter-in-law.

My husband and I are now in a place to really have time for each other.  We have so much fun together.  We have to work to make time for each other but that is part of being intentional with our time.  It is like being newlyweds (except we had 2 babies when we got married) but with the life experience that comes with age.  So for me I think it is way better than the newlywed phase.....Just my opinion.

I am learning Japanese.  My daughter-in-law is Japanese and we hope to take a trip to Japan sometime in the near future.  I am older so this is a challenge but fun.  Good for the brain.  Japanese is not easy and I am not that great with English which is the only language I know.....for now!! 

So busy...yes, but not to busy to blog (which I have not done), email (which I do if it is personal...don't really mess with forwards) or take time for family & friends (well work schedule can dictate some of that).  Lazy in the fact that I get home from work and just want to do nothing but watch TV or take a nap.  I am working on that now that my hours are back to normal.

There is always going to be things to take up our time and energy but I am learning that it is important to stop and look at what is taking that time and energy.  Is is productive?  Does it help others?  Is it to much to the point of taking away from what really is important in our lives?

I want to be the woman God wants me to be and that is my prayer for myself.  I am in a new season of my life and I am very young to be in this place but I have found that it is a good place.  A blessed place.  A place I am enjoying and want to keep enjoying everyday.

Hopefully it won't be another 3 months until my next blog.......