Empty Nest

Several of my friends and relatives are experiencing the empty nest for the first time this week. I remember when my kids were still at home thinking that it would be so sad when we didn't have any kids at home and feeling sorry for my friends when that last kid moved out. I don't think you can prepare yourself for the changes this makes in your family. When Carson moved out, we had been parenting for thirty years. We were so young when Jason was born that we really couldn't remember life before kids.
Tony and I have adjusted very well. We have a routine that pleases both of us. We go out to dinner almost every Friday night (except I have to work the concession stand at the scrimmage tomorrow). We go to the grocery store every Saturday morning (except this Saturday when Tony will play golf). Get the picture. We can be flexible now. For thirty years our lives were under the rule of coaches, ag teachers, club sponsors, cheerleading coaches, youth leaders, homework, and employers. Now we do what we want, and we have become very selfish. I exercise several times a week because I can. I don't have to pick anyone up, drop anyone off, make sure someone eats before the night's activity. I can do laundry during the week or not. No one is going to go to a game with a dirty uniform.
I never realized I could get so spoiled.
I get to school every morning at 7:00 because I don't have to drop kids off, so I am ready for my work day to start at 8:00. I'm rotten.
I still have a good relationship with my kids. I don't see them as often as I'd like, but I talk to them several times a week. I miss the kids, but I don't miss the hectic life that having them live here involved. There is a reason we have kids when we are young. Right now if I do something on a school night, I try to be home early so I can be rested. When I think that I used to be out sometimes four nights a week during basketball season, I don't know how I did it.
Allison said last night that she feels guilty because my house always looks clean, so she thinks they were the ones that used to mess it up. It stays cleaner now because I'm home to pick up a little every day. There were some weeks when they lived here when we ran in, changed clothes, and ran out in a fifteen minute time period. By the time we would get home there was no time or energy to straighten, so cleaning was left for Saturday mornings.
I always worried that our busy life would adversely affect the kids, but I wouldn't trade the ballgames and activities for anything. We didn't waste much time on video games or television because we weren't home. One thing for sure; we were together.
Don't worry about the empty nest; it has its benefits.