I am now officially an empty nester. It's an interesting feeling. I feel free - yet also know that I never know when the "Mom? I need. . . ." phone call will come. I got two of those calls today, necessitating another trip to their college town. There are lots of ups and downs about this new station in life.
There was nobody to carry in my groceries this morning.
I went to turn on the little fan in the kitchen that keeps air moving in there when I'm working. . . and it was gone. I vaguely remember about two weeks ago one child saying that that would be perfect for a dorm headboard.
There's plenty of room in the garage, and I can choose which side to park in.
If I feel like getting on the computer for longer than ten minutes, I can do so without feeling like it's a bad example.
I don't have to continually be thinking about what food is in the house, what food is cooked, and what is available for them to cook for themselves.
I can go to bed when I want, without waiting up for a child to come in.
There's no one to leave notes for, when I leave for school, such as "Please see that the dog gets brushed, washed and fed," or "Please take care of the laundry in the basket on the table today." Now, the laundry in the basket on the table is still there when I get home.
I will worry, be concerned, and pray just as much as when they were here. Probably more.
1 comment:
I've been going through similar things with Jason married, though I still have two at home. I miss some of the everydayness of his being here -- his tousled sleepyheadedness in the morning, his calling out, "I'm home!!" whenever he got in, etc., and I have concerns for them that I pray about. But it is nice having one less person's laundry and one less person needing the shower in the morning schedule, etc.
I've thought, too, that when my kids are gone and I'll have all the housework back on my own, that will be quite an adjustment. But then there will probably less overall to do, so I guess it's a trade-off.
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