I saw God Today!!

My mom always had a love of birds. My sisters and brother and I would always know what we could get mom for that "special" gift...something to do with birds. She had quite a collection of birds. My sweet, precious mother passed away in April of 2007. Needless to say, that was one of the hardest things I have ever gone through. Mom has been with us in many ways since she passed and she has shown us that she will always be with us.
Our front door is set back with bilateral windows and brick walls on either side. On the left bricks, we have a hanging that was made up with 12 clay pots that are about 3-4 inches wide. Each pot had some type of flower planted in it, marigolds, petunias, and impatiens. We noticed doves that seemed to be staying around the front porch area and before we knew it, they had nested in one of the pots. That mother dove would sit in that little pot over her two eggs and did not get alarmed when someone would come and go from the front door. She even got to the point where she would let dad get close and even pet her. It was amazing. Soon the two eggs hatched and all three of them would live in that little pot. What a wonderful site to see. I could sit and watch them out of my front windows and get to see her when she fed them and cared for them. I would sit for hours and just watch them. I heard the song "I saw God Today" and I felt that was exactly how I felt. I had seen another one of God's Miracles. The day came that they left the nest and even though it was sad, we knew it was part of nature.
We enjoyed watching the doves so much and hoped that it would happen again. Dad even built a wood box that he called an apartment and hung it on the brick wall. Each nesting season since then, we have had a family move in. This year we were doubly blessed. I had a hanging basket on the front porch where the flower I had planted was dying. I was about to buy a new plant when we noticed a mockingbird coming and going to the pot. To our surprise, it was building a nest in the pot. This was closer than the other nests in that it was on the front porch. We could stand and watch out of the windows as the mother and father would bring twigs and such to build the nest.
Mama bird layed three eggs, but unfortunately only two hatched. But once again, we were able to watch as God worked His wonders. We watched as the babies grew and watched them fly away for the last time. Shortly after the mockingbirds had made their home on our porch, we noticed a mourning dove hanging around the "apartment" on the brick wall. Turned out she was building a nest too. The dove had layed two eggs. Mama bird was very vigilant as she protected the eggs. Unfortunately, however, something got to the nest one night and took the eggs. You could tell by the nest that something had gotten into it. We think it had to be a hawk or something because no cat or such creature could get to it where it is. I know things like that happen in nature, but it still was very sad.

My husband and I bought the house we are living in with my mother and father about 16 years ago. It was one of the best decisions we have ever made. However, it was only the last five years that the birds have started nesting at our front door. My mother passed away five years ago. The birds started coming the first nesting season after she passed. It is very clear to me and my family that she is sending these birds to us to show us she is still with us. I love you mom and miss you dearly. Thank you for your precious gifts. You are forever in my heart.