Nests

(A Short Tale of Nature and My home)

“Dad, could you come out into the front yard? I have something I want to show you.”

Isaac gets a formal tone, chooses his words carefully, when he really wants to connect with me. He often has trouble articulating. When his language becomes precise, I pay attention.

“There’s a bird’s nest in the plum tree.”

Sure enough, only about five feet off the ground, there was a nest in the crotch of the tree.


No bird in it. No chirping. I peeked in, there were only empty shells within.

I gently pried it out of the tree while Isaac took pictures.


Bird nests are cool. I’m not sure why, but they are.

I think it is partly because they are complex. The twigs and leaves and bits of detritus swirl around in a macramé bowl.

Oregon weather has been strange this year. We never got the real cold weather, but there was plenty of rain. The temperature swung into the 90s (F.) and back down into the 50s over just a couple of days. We had weeks of cold rain, (very unusual) and the fruit trees are confused about what they should be doing. And a pair of birds have already raised their young this year.

I took the day off today. I explained what was up to the boys when I sat on their beds last night, our nightly time together which ends in prayer.

I explained once again about their citizenship problems. I told them how we were going to the immigration office and try to get their citizenship, that we knew it wasn’t supposed to be possible for Jeremiah to get it yet, but we thought we might, so we were going to try.

I told them how fortunate we are in this country, that we have so much available to us.

We dressed up a little, the boys, myself, Brenda. We left the house at 6:30 a.m. for the half hour drive to Portland for an 8:00 appointment. We wanted to be certain we got there ahead of morning rush hour traffic.

GREAT NEWS!!!

By 9:00 we were at the post office, applying for passports for the boys and Brenda, evidence for the happy news that my children are now U.S. Citizens!

Once more...

MY KIDS HAVE BEEN GRANTED U.S. CITIZENSHIP!!!

So this post isn’t the mix of theology and science and personal angst as the previous one, but it is a mix.

Simple pleasure of an empty bird nest, a symbol of Spring, new beginnings, another generation. A tremendous victory and gift in my children gaining the benefits of U.S. citizenship, the threats of the legal status swept away by people who knew how to do what is right, show us the way out of the maze of legal red tape (sorry about the mixed metaphor).

I'm so glad not to find bureaucrats in a buraeucracy! Not what I would expect. Especially one that is now under the umbrella of Homeland Security!

How might this affect my home life?

I’m unsure. I know Brenda has a strong sense of responsibility, and the legal mess tied her to this home. Now the boys will have access to all the benefits of any American citizenship. Will this make it easier for her to leave? Perhaps. In or out, progress is good.

And so is God.

He has been faithful. I am grateful