In the Nest

When my husband and I were looking at my pictures the other day, we both noticed how polished and together I seem. Well, we both got a good guffaw out of that thought! (Case in point, have you noticed how many of my pictures are vignettes?) Quite happily, the house isn't too much of a bear pit - it's just a little helter skelter. (In case you haven't heard yet, I do have three boys on the move here!) I just can't wait to get to some of my house projects. I love to nest!

aside: The fact that I like to nest was confirmed when I couldn't sleep the night before I gave birth to my eldest son. "Why sleep when I could be getting the house just so," I reasoned? As we pulled out of the driveway, I quickly rolled down the car window and called to the wind, "... and someone vacuum!"

Well, the living room, here, is clean and tidy but the furniture is strewn about because, when we took out the Christmas tree, I decided that there was no harm in reconfiguring the layout of the room. "What a lovely, fresh idea," I say. Tomorrow! Tomorrow, I am going to do it. Then, I am going to sit down in my favorite spot, where the light is just right, to read the new Pottery Barn catalog. Their styles are right up my alley at the moment.

All of this bliss in my life is not silly, "Pollyanaish" thinking though. Today, is the nineteenth anniversary of the day that I came down with Chronic Fatique Syndrome (a.k.a. CFS, CFIDS and even M.E.. Let's just say, that it means that I get slowed down quite a bit.) For eleven years, I had no idea what was wrong with me. For several years, I pushed through it but then became fearful that I was going crazy.Why couldn't I move? 

Now, you often hear people say that, "you grow through your trials," but, for a long time, it only felt like dying. After Toby was born (eight years ago), I was diagnosed and, finally, yielded to my body's screams for rest. I spent a lot of time on my couch watching my house fall apart around me and I learned to focus on the beautiful things (vignettes) that I could see through the rubble.

It was like I was on a very steep path up a vertical mountain but, four years ago, I burst out onto a vista. I really have learned and grown. I've learned, among other things: what my true priorities are, to not be such a perfectionist, to not be afraid of being human (and to even laugh at it!) and it's taught me true thankfulness for what I have. Mostly, It's taught me the importance of resting in sunny spots!

I just share all this because, when you paint a room pink, it's more elegant if you, say, accent with black toile and/or dark and lovely wood - it gives it depth.

Wishing you the lightness I've found,

Katy x

P.S. I've changed my URL address to www.inthesunnyspot.net/  because, even I couldn't remember to put the "1" on the end of the title.