About That Almost Empty Nest

Here’s the deal. Your baby is about to fly from your carefully feathered nest. If you’re a parent, it’s going to happen. It’s inevitable. (at least you hope so. Who wants their 30year old kid to still be sitting on your couch, watching Netflix, eating all your groceries and wasting all your gas? Not this girl!) You gotta roll with the changes. If you don’t roll, you’ll get knocked on your booty. Trust me on this. 

You see, I was that super active mom who was involved in everything. I swear I wasn’t a helicopter parent, but I was probably a kite parent with that kite string firmly held by my kiddos, and sometimes I’m sure their teachers had to pull on that kite string and bring me down a notch or two. I volunteered in the classroom. I made cookies and treats. I taught VBS every summer. I was the PTA secretary, Vice President and President. As the kids got involved in athletics I served as secretary for the booster club. Ballgames. Plays. Awards. Dances. Parties. Etc. etc. etc.

Y’all! Being a mom was my JOB. It was my CAREER. It was my whole life. I was completely wrapped up in it. I loved it, and by golly I ROCKED!!

And then it changed. I distinctly remember the day. We had moved our daughter into her dorm for her freshman year of college a few weeks previous. I was still reeling from it. I missed her so much that it felt like a part of my soul was gone. My son drove himself to school that morning (didn’t need old mom to drive him anymore). My husband kissed me on the cheek and left for work. And then… Silence…Cue the crickets chirping. And it hit me…Like a two by four to my heart.

What the heck was I supposed to do now? Nobody warned me that being a Mom is the one job you’ll get fired from if you do it right.

Holy. Freaking. Cow.

I gradually learned something about myself.  (keyword – gradually!) I’m resilient. I’m adaptable. I’m an old dog, but I’ve been able to learn new tricks. And the skills I developed during those years was actually preparing me for new opportunities to come.

Life isn’t just a one act play. It’s more of a mini-series with several chapters. I think the hubs and I are on about chapter 5 together. We’ve been knocked down a peg or two several times, but we rolled with it.

So keep on rolling y’all. Get back up and start over. Don’t be afraid of this drastic change in your life and embrace it as a new beginning…

(Guess what, the empty nest is highly underrated!)