Empty Nest Ramblings

Sometimes I just don't feel like organizing my thoughts into a meaningful post. That's why I am just going to type my thoughts as I think them today.

So, having an empty nest is a little weirder than I thought it would be. Sam's schedule had been so much off from our's, we saw very little of him awake. I didn't think it would feel all that much different.

I was wrong.

Mike & I noticed that we keep having that thought in the back of our minds that we are waiting for someone to come home. It is strange. After all, for nearly 33 years we had offspring living at home. We were often waiting for someone to come home.

And then there is the food thing.

We don't need to buy as much.

I bought some Hot Fries the other day. That is one of the things that I enjoyed buying for Sam, something neither me nor Mike can eat. He was always so grateful when I brought them home for him. When Sam came by Sunday I think it made him happy to see that I had some Hot Fries waiting for him. It's the little things, you know.

Our house seems quieter... and bigger, much bigger.

I never really planned ahead much for an empty nest. Before I was married, I thought about being married. I always expected to be married. Before we had children, I thought about being a mother. I always expected to be a mother. This new phase, though, I didn't really think about it too much.

I do enjoy having  uninterrupted conversations with Mike.

Sam on His Own

1981. That was the year Mike & I began our parenting career. In case you are math-impaired, that was 32 years ago. This week, our youngest signed his first rental. After 32 years, we are about to have an empty nest! Weird. I wonder how that will feel.

 Last night we got to see the place Sam and his roommate have rented. It is empty still. I really love the potential of an empty living space. It must be because of all the moving I've done; I start thinking of how I can make it homey. But wait! That isn't my job anymore!


This is Sam's time. He gets to make the decisions. The choices are all his!

When Sam was first telling me about this big news, he was almost apologetic, explaining why he wanted to move out. It was very sweet, really. Sam really is a tenderhearted kid person. I didn't feel sad, though. I felt happy for him and I remembered the fun of setting up my first place. He should be able to have that same fun, that feeling of being a new adult, just as I did.

Sam has kind of eased us into this in some ways. He's been working nights and sleeping days and spending a lot more time out of the house for months now. Even this is move is more gentle than it could have been. He's moving only about 15 minutes away from us. He can still be here for Sunday night suppers. We'll still see him at church.

One thing I learned from my own mother was that I need to let my adult children be and do and go as they need to. Mom never said that to me. Mom showed me this by example.  The thing is, when something good or exciting is going on for one of our kids, I feel their anticipation and joy as well. I'm proud of them when I see them following their own path.

Ok, I admit to a little bit of feeling sad. It does seem like Sam's childhood went by too quickly, just as did Maria's and Ben's. Nope. I'm not going down that road. I'm HAPPY, happy for Sam, happy for his maturity, happy for all the adventures that lay before him, and happy that for now he is not going too far away!

Congratulations, Sam!